Cup and Saucer (tasse litron)
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.This cup shows Benjamin Franklin while the saucer depicts symbols of the Franco- American Treaty of Alliance, signed on February 6, 1778. Considered an apostle of liberty, Franklin was celebrated as much for his scientific achievements and perceived wisdom as for his simplicity of dress. The American diplomat enjoyed a kind of cult status in France and his image was widely disseminated.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cup and Saucer (tasse litron)
- Manufactory: Sèvres Manufactory (French, 1740–present)
- Artist: Painted and gilded by Etienne-Henry Le Guay (French, active 1748–49, 1751–97)
- Date: ca. 1779
- Culture: French
- Medium: Soft-paste porcelain
- Dimensions: Cup: 3 × 4 × 3 in. (7.6 × 10.2 × 7.6 cm)
Saucer: 1 5/16 × 5 7/8 in. (3.3 × 14.9 cm) - Classification: Ceramics-Porcelain
- Credit Line: Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973 (24.151.1-2); Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington, D.C.
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts