Getty Museum

Beaker with the Arms of Puchner (Stangenglas)

Date

1587

Medium

Free-blown colorless (pale green) glass with gold leaf and enamel decoration

Culture

Bohemian or German

Department

Decorative Arts

Institution

Getty Museum

By the 1500s, the development of large, clear glass vessels with broad areas of smooth glass helped to accommodate the increased demand for enameled decoration. This tall glass, called a *Stangenglas* , belongs to a group of similar vessels painted with the arms of central European families. Dated 1587, it is emblazoned with the arms of Paulus Puchner, who, as the inscription indicates, was an official of the Elector of Saxony, serving as Master of Ordnance in charge of the armory in Dresden, Germany. Larger vessels such as this beaker usually held beer, which had been consumed in Europe at breakfast, lunch, and dinner since the Middle Ages. They were also used for the communal drinking practiced on commemorative and festive occasions. The noted humanist Erasmus, in his book *De civilitate morum puerilium* (On Good Manners for Boys), gave advice on the practice of drinking from a common glass. He admonished his readers to: *Chew your food before you drink and do not raise the cup to your lips without first wiping them with a napkin or cloth, especially if someone offers you his cup when drinking from a common cup.*

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