Dwarf 1755 - 1775

This porcelain figure of a dwarf was made at the Doccia Manufactory in Italy, sometime between 1737 and 1896. The factory was known for its finely detailed and colorful wares, and this piece is no exception. Porcelain is created by firing clay at high temperatures. This results in a vitrified, translucent material that’s extremely durable. To achieve the lifelike coloration, each figure would have been painted by hand with metallic oxides, and then fired again. Look closely, and you can still see the individual brushstrokes. While porcelain was highly prized for its beauty, it also had significant social and economic implications. Its production required skilled labor, which was often organized in factory settings. The material was also closely associated with trade and colonialism, because the raw materials to produce porcelain were not available locally, and had to be shipped from afar. This little figurine is a testament to the complex interplay of art, labor, and global commerce.