The
cup [1753-1754] The
cup has a well documented history as the couple Lord Johan van Borssele
[1707-1764] and Elisabeth Koninck [1733-1794] married in 1750 after a period of
dating, which has been fully described in the extensive correspondence between
Johan and Prince Willem IV or Mr Jacob van Citters . Elisabeth
Koninck had grown up in the house of her uncle Willem van Citters and her aunt
Maria Kien van Citters, because both her parents had died. Despite
the difference of 26 years in age, she agreed to marry Johan van Borssele, since
1747 the first “representative” in Zeeland and therewith the most powerful
man. According
to the Rijksmuseum catalogue in Amsterdam, the cup might have been given to the
couple by either Wilhem van Citters or Johan van Borssele. For this reason both
the armoury of both Van Citters/ Kien and Van Borssele/ Koninck is displayed on
the cup. Considering
the duty stamp of 1795 of Middelburg it is more likely that Johan van Borssele
gave the cup to van Citters as a sign of appreciation for the support to marry
his cousine. Soon after 1764 the death of Johan van Borssele, Elisabeth had left
Zeeland to never return again. In the period 1753-1754 no van Citters stayed in
the Hague another sign that the cup was ordered by Van Borssele rather then Van
Citters. The
golden cup was made by Louise Metayer and Philippe Metayer who stayed in The
Hague between 1750 and 1752. A similar cup is on display in the Rijksmuseum of
Amsterdam.
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