Jar 1730 - 1745

This jar was likely made in Chantilly, France, using soft-paste porcelain, a European innovation to mimic Chinese porcelain. The labor involved in creating such an object reflects the aspirations and tensions of its time. Notice how the paste is cast into a mold, then fired at a high temperature. The delicate process of creating this porcelain meant extensive labor, but also the intense heat of the kiln. The painted decorations, with their chinoiserie motifs, further emphasize the jar's imitation of Eastern aesthetics. The final product reflects the culture of aristocratic consumption, an elite desire for luxury goods that fueled industrial production. By engaging with its materials and processes, we reveal the complex web of social and economic forces that shaped its creation. This challenges the conventional distinction between fine art and craft, placing the object within the wider historical context of artistic production.