I'm not in a position to go out and buy art work, and I rely on the items in my home to fulfill that desire. These mugs do that for me. I like the "naif" art work, and it gives me a lift to use these mugs before and after the daily routine kicks in.As I have always found with Villeroy-Boch, the quality of the porcelain is excellent. The mugs are well insulated, elegant and yet sturdy - for china. The mugs are made in Germany. Because of the silver rim, they are probably not microwavable. I have a few of these, and the colors remain bright and vivid after months of (hand) washing.