Cup and saucer before 1756

The "Cup and Saucer," made by the Meissen Porcelain Factory, presents an exquisite example of early 18th-century craftsmanship. The cup's cylindrical shape and the saucer's shallow basin are adorned with intricate scenes, framed by ornate gilded borders. The materiality of the porcelain, smooth and translucent, enhances the delicate floral and landscape paintings. The factory uses color to suggest class and wealth. Gilded embellishments create a visual richness that speaks to its function as an item of luxury. The symmetry and balance in the decorative motifs, coupled with the central placement of scenic vignettes, suggest a structured, ordered world. We may consider the cup and saucer as signifiers of social status and cultural refinement, reflecting the broader context of European courtly life. The scenes depicted, pastoral and serene, idealize nature and aristocratic leisure. As a creation of the Meissen Porcelain Factory, the cup and saucer also represent the burgeoning industrial arts of the time, embodying both artistic expression and commercial ambition. It invites an understanding of the interplay between form, function, and cultural encoding within a singular object.