Exceptional Solid Silver Wine Taster, Bacchus And Bacchanalia, Leduc & Co., Circa 1880

This solid silver wine-tasting cup is immediately distinguished by its exceptional weight of 254 grams, rare for this type of object. Its spectacular handle features a mask of Bacchus, whose face is composed of an abundance of grape bunches in a powerful and expressive relief. The base of the basin reveals a bacchanalian scene, a true evocation of the festive and mythological world of the god of wine. This narrative composition considerably enhances the appeal of the piece. The interior decoration, composed of relief motifs, captures the light according to the tradition of wine-tasting cups, while creating a particularly vibrant visual interplay. The exterior frieze reveals the silversmith's skillful craftsmanship. Made by the firm of Leduc & Cie, this wine-tasting cup illustrates the taste for 18th-century forms reinterpreted at the end of the 19th century.