TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

Delicately engraved with birds nestled amidst flowering vines, the present stem cup is set against a finely ring-punched ground and rises from a slender stem foot with a spreading base that is similarly adorned with foliate scrolls. The refined craftsmanship and sumptuous use of silver exemplify the opulence of courtly life during the high Tang period. The fascination with gold and silver wares during the Tang dynasty was deeply shaped by luxury goods in precious metals that reached the capital, Chang’an (modern Xi’an), via the fabled Silk Road. These imports, often of Sasanian origin, were themselves inspired by metalwork traditions dating back to ancient Rome. The motif of birds amidst flowering vines appears to be exceedingly rare in Tang silverware. A related stem cup with comparable decoration is in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, gift of Mr. Russell Tyson, acc. number 1945.308 (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/53544/stem-cup).