Pair of flower sellers 1735 - 1755

These are a pair of sculptures made of soft-paste porcelain, crafted by the Saint-Cloud factory between 1693 and 1766. Immediately striking is their symmetrical composition: the figures, a male and female, mirror each other in posture and form, creating a balanced visual rhythm. Observe how the material itself, the porcelain, dictates much of the aesthetic. Its smooth, almost translucent quality allows light to play across the figures, accentuating the delicate folds of their garments. This interest in surface texture, or lack thereof, destabilizes conventional expectations. These sculptures challenge established meanings and hierarchies. The sculptures are not merely representational; they are active participants in a larger discourse about value, perception, and the evolving relationship between art and society. This seemingly simple form encapsulates complex cultural codes and philosophical ideas, asking us to reconsider our relationship with the objects that surround us.