Reviews for The Warren Cup

The average rating for The Warren Cup based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-10-05 00:00:00 Tony Barrett A short but fascinating study of a beautiful object. There is much that intrigues. The author makes a convincing case that the figures being represented are all Greek citizens (rather than Romans, or slaves). How then did it come to be owned by a wealthy Roman in Palestine, and why was it found buried in a hole near Jerusalem? These intriguing questions are carefully considered. The cup itself is given a detailed description with excellent illustrations, which make clear what an impressive work of art it is. There is also much information on the eponymous collector, Ned Warren, who was clearly a man of exquisite taste and judgment in matters of art, if not perhaps in the choice of his companions. (If it were not for Warren there would be no Rodin's Kiss in the Tate). Also considered is the after life of the cup, and how it - and other works of art from antiquity - were for many years hidden away in secret museum basements until recent times. Something which Williams doesn't address is that the liberalisation which allowed the Warren Cup to come out of the shadows a generation ago is apparent, not real. Never mind that the sexual acts depicted are clearly loving and consensual: there is clearly a gap in age and status between both pairs of lovers, and this is enough to damn them before the contemporary purveyors of moral panic. The cup was almost certainly in use at the same time, and almost in the same place, where Jesus walked. It was probably hidden to escape the Jewish revolt of AD 66, and remained hidden in modern times because the moral and cultural attitudes of the west were, and are, still shaped by Judaeo-Christianity. One could therefore read its intriguing history as a parable for the long shadow of intolerance cast by our Judaeo-Christian heritage. "Thou hast conquered, O Pale Galilean..."

Review # 2 was written on 2016-03-23 00:00:00 Tanya Eves I was compelled to read this short book after a very moving trip to the British Museum. I'd spent most of the day looking at Roman perfume bottles, and I was walking briskly through the main Roman gallery en route to Minoan Crete when the cup came into my vision. I recalled reading about it, and despite having been to the museum many times I'd never knowingly looked at it. I thought that on this occasion I ought to. So, wedged between East Asian tourists, I had my religious experience with the piece. The book does well to express my feelings about it. It's a very sensual piece, and open to a very satisfying amount of debate as to its meaning. I find it incredible how well crafted the cup is; the images are amazingly clear and modern looking compared to similar works from the period displayed in the book. The cup's modern history is intriguing too; the controversial figure of Edward Perry Warren deserves further reading I think. Anyway, the book does a good job of bringing together a selection of topics to do with the cup, including a detailed description of what is depicted and the physical condition of the cup. Really the price of the book is worth it just for the great photographs. Fascinating and beautiful.