Serving dish c. 1777 - 1790

This serving dish was made by the Porseleinfabriek Den Haag, although we don't have an exact date for its production. Looking at the history of porcelain production in the Netherlands, and across Europe, we can start to understand its social role. Porcelain was a luxury good, its value tied to its expense and difficulty to produce. So, the kind of scene that we see depicted here - a quaint, pastoral landscape with a humble cottage - would have resonated in a particular way with the wealthy consumers who could afford it. The scene might seem simple, but the dish itself signifies status. As historians, we can use a range of sources to understand this object. We could look at the factory's records, the social history of dining, and the class dynamics of the time. This would help us better understand the cultural meanings that a porcelain dish like this might have had.