Pair of beaker vases 1725 - 1735

These beaker vases were created at the Meissen Manufactory, a German porcelain company established in 1710. During the 18th century, European porcelain manufacturers emulated and reinterpreted Chinese and Japanese decorative styles, reflecting the global trade routes and cultural exchanges of the time. The scenes of birds and flowers on the vases are examples of Chinoiserie, a European artistic style which reflects Chinese motifs. These vases raise questions about cultural appropriation. The appropriation of Asian motifs by European manufacturers speaks to issues of power, as European nations sought to imitate and dominate Eastern trade and culture. The emotional dimension of these vases lies in their ability to evoke a sense of cross-cultural exchange. They reflect a complicated global history where admiration and exploitation were often intertwined.