This tea service, made by Loosdrecht, presents a glimpse into the rituals of leisure and social hierarchy. Tea, introduced to Europe through colonial trade routes, became a symbol of status. Note the figures adorning the piece, seemingly at leisure in a landscape. Who are they and what is their relationship to this luxury object? The act of drinking tea became intricately linked with notions of refinement. Yet, consider how these narratives often obscured the labor and exploitation inherent in the production and trade of tea, sugar, and porcelain. This tea service invites us to reflect on the power dynamics embedded in objects of everyday use. It serves as a reminder of the complex histories that shape our contemporary lives.
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Tea services represented a significant part of the production of the Loosdrecht porcelain factory. On display here are a teapot, milk jug and sugar bowl along with other less familiar parts of a tea service, such as a slop bowl, which is used to rinse and warm the cups between two ‘courses’, and a drip catcher (pattipan), which catches the drips from the spout of the teapot.
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