Tea Bowl and Saucer

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

The complex enamel scenes on this tea service represent the four classical elements: air, earth, fire, and water. On one saucer Cybele, an Anatolian mother goddess who ruled over nature, personifies earth, while attendants present her with a bounty of animals, flowers, and fruit. The enamel’s pristine condition suggests that this tea service was rarely used; more likely, it was reserved for display as part of a collector’s cabinet.

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