Cup with flowers c. 1849 - 1870

This cup with flowers was made by the Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur, the Royal Porcelain Factory. What does it mean to have royal patronage and control of the means of production, especially when it comes to something as intimate as a teacup? The cup’s delicate porcelain and hand-painted flowers speak to a culture of refinement, yet also hint at the social and economic disparities of its time. This was an era deeply marked by hierarchies of class and power. Porcelain itself became a symbol of wealth and status, accessible primarily to the aristocracy and upper classes. Consider how something as simple as a teacup could serve as both an object of beauty and a marker of social identity, reflecting the complex interplay between art, class, and culture. Doesn't it make you wonder about the hands that crafted it, the lips that touched it, and the conversations it may have witnessed?