Artwork
Cup and Cover Supported by an Enchained Turk
Cup and Cover Supported by an Enchained Turk is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1708 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1708 and entered the collection of Robert Lehman, who later bequeathed his holdings to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting was created in 1708 and entered the collection of Robert Lehman, who later bequeathed his holdings to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and is cataloged under the accession number 1975.1.
It is classified as a painting depicting a man, reflecting its subject matter and artistic genre.
The artwork's dimensions measure 40.6 cm in height, consistent with the recorded physical specification.
Cup and Cover Supported by an Enchained Turk has been part of the Robert Lehman Collection, which is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting, dated to 1708, is held within that institution's holdings as a work by an anonymous artist. No specific accession number or exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
The work's placement within the Robert Lehman bequest situates it among the Metropolitan Museum of Art's notable holdings of decorative arts and paintings assembled by the financier and collector. No records of prior exhibitions, loans, or display venues beyond the Metropolitan Museum of Art are indicated in the available documentation.
Context
The painting Cup and Cover Supported by an Enchained Turk was created in 1708 and is classified as a painting. It depicts a man and was originally owned by Robert Lehman, later entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is described in scholarly literature as an anonymous painting, reflecting its uncertain authorship within early 18th-century European art.
Its presence in a major institutional collection underscores its historical significance despite the lack of definitive attribution. The piece remains a subject of study for understanding artistic practices and patronage during its era.
Overview
The work, titled Cup and Cover Supported by an Enchained Turk, is a painted composition that presents a gilded cup balanced atop a small, white‑clad figure. The figure, bound by chains at the wrists, appears to strain under the weight of the vessel, while diminutive putti perch on the cup’s lid. Decorative motifs of black and gold adorn the cup, and a tiny crowned face crowns its top.
Subject & Meaning
The scene juxtaposes opulence with servitude, pairing a luxurious drinking vessel with a chained attendant. The presence of cherubic figures suggests a playful or allegorical tone, perhaps commenting on the relationship between wealth, power, and the labor required to sustain it. The crowned face on the cup may allude to a patron or a symbolic authority overseeing the exchange.
Technique & Style
Executed in paint, the image combines meticulous rendering of metallic surfaces with delicate figural work. Fine brushwork delineates the chain links and the texture of the tunic, while the gold‑black patterning on the cup is rendered with a flat, decorative quality reminiscent of ornamental metalwork. The overall composition balances realistic detail with a stylized, almost theatrical arrangement.
Artist & collection
