Polychrome Roman Portraits Espresso Cup and Saucer Set

Ancient Rome meets the modern day on our espresso cups and saucers, or demitasse, presenting a fun and fresh interpretation of four Imperial-period portraits in the Museum's holdings. Boasting bold, high-contrast colors, this stylish set references the revelation that when classical sculptures were rediscovered, time had eroded the rich paint, gilding, and inlay that once enlivened their white marble forms.

Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color sheds new light on The Met's celebrated Greek and Roman art galleries. Juxtaposing now-achromatic ancient sculptures with contemporary reconstructions in vivid hues, this prismatic exhibition illuminates the monumental discovery of—and cutting-edge research into—color and other surface treatments on ancient works of art, and counters the social and aesthetic constructs born from common misconceptions and cultural traditions that equate white marble sculpture with ideal beauty.