Figure of an Asian man 1785 - 1799

This small porcelain figure of an Asian man was made by the Meissen Manufactory, a German company renowned for its ceramics. The figure is formed from delicate clay, carefully molded and fired, then painted with subtle details. Porcelain like this was the product of intense technical innovation. In the 18th century, Europeans were obsessed with emulating Chinese porcelain, and Meissen was one of the first to crack the code. But notice, too, the subject matter. The "Asian man," a generalized, exoticized figure, carries bundles of sticks and what appears to be a basket. The figure evokes the vast trade networks that linked Europe to Asia, and the common, and unfortunately prejudiced, European view of Asian people. Consider how the act of making this luxury object – a symbol of wealth and status – is intertwined with complex cultural exchange and European exploitation of Asian labor. The figure is a testament to the way that materials, making, and context are essential to understanding the full meaning of an artwork.