Description:
Dutch delft teacup with dark and light blue decoration. Tea, "tay," or "cha" was first introduced into western Europe in the mid-seventeenth century. Initially tea was consumed for its medicinal value, thought to be a cure for many ailments including nervousness, grippe, dropsy, fatigue, stomach distress, and headaches. Catherine of Braganza, Portuguese wife of Charles II, established tea as an appropriate court beverage where it became very fashionable. Tea was normally drunk from small, handleless cups, which came in two sizes, large for breakfast and small for after dinner or entertaining guests. Although porcelain examples occasionally had handles, delft forms continued the handleless tradition of oriental teabowls. As tea grew in popularity, more of English society desired to drink this beverage; however tea wares in silver and Chinese export porcelain were too costly for the middle-class consumers. Although delftware could imitate the whiteness and designs of Chinese porcelain at a fraction of the cost, it is not very durable. Rims can easily chip, and earthenware often cracked with sudden changes in temperature, which results in few surviving cups. The exterior depicts a Chinese figure carrying a cross in his right hand and wearing a dark blue coat with a panel of slanted stripes over his chest and a pair of light-blue loose pants, which resembles the English sailor's uniform introduced in the mid 18th century. The opposite side has foliage, running fence, and two small stylized buildings. The rim and base are banded in blue; the bowl is supported on a applied, low foot ring.
Subjects:
Pottery; glaze (coating by location) Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+61.163 |
