Punch Bowl
Medium
soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
11.5 × 27.7 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Given in memory of John MacGregor Jr. and Mary Folger MacGregor, by Mrs. John F. McGuire
Accession Number
1938.331
Tags
About this artwork
Encircling the exterior of this bowl are four segments containing fanciful birds with wide eyes, long necks, and colorful feathers. Both the birds and their frames were inspired by Chinese motifs that had been adapted and popularized by the French. During the 1700s, punch drinking was well suited for large social gatherings and served as a popular alternative to tea drinking. In fact, the exotic birds and scrolling cartouches featured on this porcelain punch bowl also adorned many of Worcester’s...