cup couple; late nineteenth century

Pair of tazza; late 19th century.
Carved marble.
Size: 24 x 18 cm (x2).
Pair of ornamental cups worked in marble, raised on a marble base. Their shape is inspired by the vases of classical antiquity, whose designs inspired many of the new typologies in the neoclassical period. However, the basic form is taken as a starting point and the ornamental sense is accentuated by the addition of numerous structural decorative elements, especially on the shafts and handles.
Both coparas seem to be inspired by the setting of the 'Grand Tour', which first appeared in Richard Lassels' work 'Le Voyage d'Italie' and was used to define the long journey through Europe, especially Italy, which was usually undertaken by young British aristocrats from the 17th century onwards, but especially throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The purpose of the journey was for young people to become acquainted with the art and culture of mainly France and Italy, to admire classical art at first hand, to learn or improve their knowledge of languages, and to establish contacts and relations with the cultural and political elites of these countries. Travellers were often looking for pieces with which to start their own art collections, objects to take back to their places of residence as souvenirs. For this reason, workshops specialising in the replication of Roman pieces, both in bronze and marble, sprang up, some of which acquired a great reputation.