The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Two-Handled Cup

1686

England, London, 17th century

(James II)
silver gilt
Overall: 23.9 x 32.4 cm (9 7/16 x 12 3/4 in.)
Inspired by the great benefits accomplished for humanity by Dr. Geroge W. Crile, I give this James II cup to the Cleveland Museum of Art in his honor, gift of Grace Studebaker Fish 1935.145.a
Location: 203A British Painting and Decorative Arts

Did You Know?

This two-handled cup is accompanied by a lid. See cover record.

Description

Produced a year after the coronation of James II (1633–1701), this silver cup and the accompanying lid celebrate the monarchy and reflect the political and social alliances that underpinned the aristocracy during the 1600s. During their coronation, James II and his second wife Mary of Modena (1658–1718) were carried through the city of London under a silk canopy adorned with motifs inspired by European perceptions of Chinese art, known as chinoiserie. Following the procession, the thirty-two lords involved in the ceremony were each offered a portion of the cloth from the canopy as well as sixteen troy ounces of silver from the posts. At least two of them commissioned cups adorned with chinoiserie to be made from the silver. While it is unclear if this cup once belonged to one of the thirty-two peers, it was almost certainly created in response to the same motifs and social developments.
  • ?-1935
    Grace Anna Studebaker Fish [Mrs. Frederick S. Fish, 1862-1946], New York, NY, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1935-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Foote, Helen. "Two-Handled Silver-Filt Cup a Gift of Frace Studebaker Fish." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 22, no. 9 (November 1935): 139-141. Reproduced: p. 138; Mentioned: p. 140-141 25137722
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. 271 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 128 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 128 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 170 archive.org
  • British Gallery Reinstallation (June 2020). The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
    All That Glitters: Great Silver Vessels in Cleveland's Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 23, 1994-January 8, 1995).
    Cathay Invoked: Chinoiserie, A Celestial Empire in the West. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA (organizer) (June 10-July 31, 1966).
    35th Anniversary Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 20-September 30, 1951).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
    Chinoiserie in Textiles and Engravings, 18th-19th Centuries. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 28-April 7, 1940).
  • {{cite web|title=Two-Handled Cup|url=false|author=|year=1686|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1935.145.a