Vase 1730 - 1740

This vase was made at the Meissen Manufactory, which was established in Germany in 1710 to crack the code of porcelain, previously a Chinese secret. Notice the striking yellow ground, which is set off by panels delicately painted with figures. These were likely inspired by the work of Jean-Antoine Watteau, whose paintings were themselves suggestive of a life of leisure. But porcelain production was anything but leisurely. It involved physically demanding labor, including the mining of clay, long hours spent at the potter’s wheel and the enamelers’ bench. And let's not forget the high-risk firing process! Porcelain became so popular among the European elites that it might be considered a perfect commodity, one that combined intrinsic value with an aura of refinement. It was a far cry from the rough realities of its making. Yet, by understanding the many hands involved, we can fully appreciate the vase’s beauty, as well as its place in the economic landscape of its time.