In Italy at the end of the 15th-century gentlemen started offering ceramic loving cups as gifts o love to their beloved on specific occasions: weddings, engagements, baby showers and ballrooms. These pieces usually depicted a female bust and a flying ribbon around it with the compliments "Bella" (beautiful) or "Gentile" (kind).
Writings were varied: “Be Ludovica”,”Lorenza B”, “Maria”, “La Giulia Bella”. Sometimes we find writings like ”Orelia B e Momolo suo servo“(tr. Orelia B and Momolo her servant), “Memento”, where “Be” and “B” stands for “Bella”.
In early examples and later on, we can find the sweetheart's name only or symbols such as the heart perforated by a spike; the heart in flames or the two hands tightened together. Indeed the etymology of symbol is an exchange, woven.
The loving cups' origin is related to the change of attitude towards beauty and love in these centuries. Love was no longer concealed like it was in the Middle Ages and men wanted to make it eternal and show their feelings. The tradition started in Casteldurante (Urbania) in Le Marche and spread throughout Italy including Deruta.
Loving cups were produced in several shapes, such as plates, spout pitchers, soup cups, amphoras, double handled vases and salt containers. According to the festivity, each loving cup had a different shape and usage.
As an example, the loving cup as a ballroom's memento was filled with almond candies and sweets and dedicated to a young lady. This is apparently how the wedding favors' tradition started.
On the contrary bride's loving cups were accompanied by a tablecloth with an equal inscription. The married couple would drink out of the same cup to ensure fertility.
In the Renaissance, loving cups became very popular and reached their most rich expressions in colors, details and shapes. Local famous artists such as Perugino (1450-1523) and Pinturicchio (1454-1513) were taken as examples for patterns and portrait styles.
Local craftsmen took inspiration from these artists and painted beautiful women. They had several examples of “Bella’s portraits so that the commissioners could have a choice. This might be the reason why many women did not match their contemporary sweethearts.
Portraits were painted in blue, yellow, brown and green on a dark blue ground, and covered with a high sheen glaze.Classical literature was also a source of inspiration for the floral intricate patterns enriching portraits, especially when dedicated to engagements and weddings. Some examples of loving cups are painted with mythological stories with loving subjects.
The loving cups tradition lasted for a long time and examples in the 18th century can still be found. Several changes in styles have occurred over time. Interesting pieces belong to private collections and are part of important museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of New York and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
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posted by Roberta Niccacci
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