Coffee cup (part of a set)

Art Historical Context

This delicate coffee cup, part of a larger set, hails from Sarreguemines, France around 1810—a time when the region was renowned for its vibrant pottery production during the Napoleonic era. Crafted in lustreware, a ceramic technique that applies metallic oxides to create a shimmering, iridescent glow reminiscent of precious metals, this petite vessel (just 2 3/16 inches tall) exemplifies the era's blend of functionality and elegance. Sarreguemines faience factories, like those in this Lorraine hub, popularized such wares for bourgeois households, turning everyday rituals like coffee drinking into refined experiences. Lustreware's magic lies in its firing process: after glazing, a thin layer of metallic luster is painted on and refired in a reducing atmosphere, producing those captivating rainbow hues without using actual gold or silver. Though the artist remains unknown, this piece reflects the technical innovation and neoclassical tastes of early 19th-century French decorative arts, where subtle opulence signaled sophistication amid post-Revolutionary social shifts. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department as a gift from Sidney H. and Helen M. Witty in 1964, it invites us to appreciate how humble ceramics captured the luster of a transformative age.