Plate c. 1770

Curator: Let’s discuss this “Plate,” crafted around 1770 by the Worcester Royal Porcelain Company, now residing here at the Art Institute of Chicago. It is a stunning example of decorative art. Editor: It strikes me as… delicate. All that intricate detail rendered in soft pastel shades gives it a Rococo feel. But, it also suggests something more assertive than just decorative, doesn’t it? Curator: Indeed. Notice the octagonal shape. That already establishes a strong visual framework, a departure from the expected circular form. The central emblem certainly demands attention with its heraldic shield and that vibrant red heart. Editor: Exactly! That central image disrupts any easy associations with purely decorative, elite consumption. Considering the era, who did this imagery serve and exclude? I see not just decoration but embedded power structures. Curator: Semiotically speaking, the shield, heart, and floral garlands act as visual metaphors. Each component contributes to the overall symbolism, carefully composed. Take, for example, the subtle use of the repeating floral motifs around the plate’s rim, which offer balance to the central emblem's intense focal point. Editor: I find myself wondering who dined from it. How did it feel to eat from such a deliberately wrought surface? It isn’t merely functional, so what role does that central symbol play for the diners themselves? It begs the question of wealth, certainly, but also of performative identity through the intimate act of dining. Curator: It's certainly meant to be impressive. The plate utilizes the unique qualities of porcelain to present a refined aesthetic that blends functionality with high artistry, all in perfect balance and form. Editor: It offers a visual meditation, an intriguing collision of personal symbolism and period politics. I look at that single heart—so vulnerably depicted—and immediately see tensions: power, faith, wealth, longing… Curator: I agree that, in that historical moment, its value transcended function alone, revealing something profound about art, commerce, and British social hierarchies. Editor: A deceptively decorative surface that contains all manner of complexities! It reveals more secrets upon each look.