The Large Bow 1765 - 1775

This porcelain tableau was made at the Ludwigsburg Porcelain Manufactory, sometime between 1758 and 1824. It depicts a scene of courtship, with three figures arranged within an architectural fragment. Porcelain like this was highly prized for its whiteness, delicacy and ability to take fine detail. Making it was no easy task. The kaolin clay had to be carefully prepared, the figures skillfully modeled and fired at high temperature, and then painted with precise detail. The figures are dressed in the height of fashion, suggesting a privileged class, with leisure time to pursue such romantic encounters. The scene speaks to the aristocratic culture of the time, a world of elaborate ritual and display. Yet, we should remember that objects like this were only possible through intense labor, both of the artisans who made them and the workers who extracted the raw materials. By considering the material and making of this object, we can appreciate its beauty, while also acknowledging the complex social forces at play in its creation.