Parakeet (one of a pair) 1741

Editor: Here we have a pair of porcelain parakeets, created around 1741 by the Meissen Manufactory. They look so delicate perched on these little tree stumps! They almost seem like they’re part of a playful aristocratic game. What do you see when you look at these sculptures? Curator: They’re more than decorative, aren’t they? We should consider the political context. These weren't just charming figurines. In the 18th century, porcelain was known as "white gold". Owning such items was a display of wealth and power, deeply entangled with colonialism. Where did the materials come from, and who made them? Who was excluded from such luxuries? Editor: That's a great point. So these parakeets, beautiful as they are, also speak to broader inequalities of the time. The exoticism of the birds themselves plays into that too, right? Curator: Absolutely. Exotic animals were status symbols, suggesting global reach. The act of portraying them in porcelain further elevates them, masking the exploitative systems that facilitated their display. They embody a narrative of conquest and control. Editor: I hadn't considered the darker implications before. It’s fascinating how a seemingly harmless object can reveal so much. Curator: Precisely! Art, even decorative art, never exists in a vacuum. Considering its historical moment reveals layers of meaning we might otherwise miss. What will you take away from today's discussion? Editor: That even the most innocent looking artworks can be tied to difficult histories of power and exclusion, and we must always question the narratives they present. Thanks for enlightening me!