Artwork
White cup and saucer
White cup and saucer is an oil painting by Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Created in 1864, this oil painting depicts a solitary white cup perched on a matching saucer, accompanied by a single spoon.
About this work
Overview
The work exemplifies the quiet, observational approach typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century French realism, where everyday items become the focus of careful study.
Created in 1864, this oil painting depicts a solitary white cup perched on a matching saucer, accompanied by a single spoon. Set against a deep, almost black backdrop, the composition isolates the objects, emphasizing their form and surface. The work exemplifies the quiet, observational approach typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century French realism, where everyday items become the focus of careful study.
Subject & Meaning
The arrangement of the cup, saucer and spoon suggests a moment of pause, perhaps a brief interlude in a domestic routine. By limiting the scene to these utilitarian objects, the artist invites contemplation of their material qualities—smooth porcelain, reflective metal—while evoking a restrained elegance that hints at the quiet dignity of ordinary life.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the artist employs a limited palette of whites, grays and deep shadows to achieve a subtle tonal harmony. The dark ground functions as a unifying field that intensifies the luminosity of the porcelain, while delicate brushwork renders the curvature of the cup’s handle and the slender spoon, underscoring the painter’s meticulous observation.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, where it is displayed among other works of nineteenth‑century French art. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in representing the realist tradition and the oeuvre of Henri Fantin‑Latour, an artist noted for both floral studies and intimate group portraits.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation: ; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
