Dish 1730 - 1745

This delicate dish was made with soft-paste porcelain by the Chantilly manufactory, a producer of luxury goods catering to the tastes of the French aristocracy. The floral decorations signal a fascination with the East, a trend that swept through Europe as trade routes opened. Yet, it’s important to remember that the exoticism of “the Orient” was often a projection, shaped by colonial power dynamics and European fantasies. These objects became silent participants in complex exchanges between East and West. Consider how this dish might have been used, perhaps to serve tea or sweets in a display of wealth and refinement. What stories would it tell if it could speak of the hands that made it, the tables it graced, and the conversations it overheard? It’s more than just a pretty object; it’s a vessel of history, reflecting both the beauty and the complicated realities of its time.