Plate 1765 - 1775

This plate was made at the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, a leading producer in Germany since the mid-18th century. It’s crafted from hard-paste porcelain, a material prized for its pure white color and delicate translucence. The process begins with shaping the clay, then firing it at extremely high temperatures. This vitrifies the material, making it strong and non-porous. The decoration, applied after glazing, is deceptively simple: geometric arrangements of small strokes that evoke a sense of movement, almost like a flock of birds. The design belies the intense labor involved, from mining and processing the raw materials, to the precise hand-painting. Porcelain production in this period was a highly specialized industry, with workers divided into distinct roles. The perfection seen here speaks to the skill of these artisans, and also to the economic systems that made such exquisite objects available to a privileged few. It's a reminder that even the most seemingly simple design can be laden with social meaning.