Cup and Saucer c. 1805 - 1810

This cup and saucer were produced by the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory. Note the object’s elaborate decoration and classical motifs. Meissen, established in the early 18th century, was the first European factory to successfully produce hard-paste porcelain, previously a jealously guarded secret of Chinese manufacturers. The establishment of Meissen, and the porcelain industry it fostered, represents a shift in the global economy and balance of power, as Europe began to produce goods that previously could only be imported from the East. Consider how the cup’s design, with its gold accents and classical motifs, reflects the tastes of the European elite who consumed these luxury goods. The cup’s base is formed from a goat head, reflecting the classical taste of the period. To understand this object more fully, one might research the history of the Meissen factory, the socio-economic context of porcelain production in 18th-century Europe, and the cultural fascination with classical antiquity. The history of art, after all, is inseparable from these contexts.