Drinking Vessel (Hanap; one of a pair)

Unknown

1320–60 · Silver, silver gilt, translucent and opaque enamels · The Cloisters

Hanaps, or drinking vessels for wine, are frequently mentioned in 14th-century inventories. Few have survived, however, as silver plate was often melted down to realize funds for the owner. Wine, customarily diluted throughout the Middle Ages, was poured to the top of the boss and then water was added to the flare of the bowl, roughly in the proportion of four to one.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1320–60

Medium

Silver, silver gilt, translucent and opaque enamels

Culture

French

Department

The Cloisters

Credit line

The Cloisters Collection, 1982