Cup with cover
David Cramer
ca. 1576–80 · Gilded silver · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
The sixteenth century was Augsburg’s golden age. The city was wealthy from its silver and copper mines and hometown to the Fugger family of merchants. With offices throughout Europe, their astonishing success was based, in part, on canny access to mining concerns and agricultural land—concessions given by nobility as securities against massive loans the Fuggers made them. The exceedingly delicate scrollwork on this cup reveals the effect sought by the Hungarian silversmith of the beaker (see 2010.110.4). The broad strapwork design on the tankard (see 11.93.16) typifies the style of successful local artists like the printmaker Bernhard Zan. [Elizabeth Cleland, 2017]
- Artist
- David Cramer
- Date
- ca. 1576–80
- Medium
- Gilded silver
- Culture
- German, Augsburg
- Department
- European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
- Credit line
- Gift of C.L. Beaumont, 1893
