Flute Player for the Monkey Band c. 1765

This is "Flute Player for the Monkey Band" made in the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory. The piece exemplifies the eighteenth-century fashion for singeries, a genre depicting monkeys in human attire and engaged in human activities. These figures are more than mere novelties; they offer a window into the cultural attitudes of the time. The elaborate clothing and musical pursuits of these monkeys mock the aristocracy, revealing tensions around class and social mobility. While seemingly humorous, the simianization of human culture touches on serious questions about the nature of humanity. This caricature raises questions about who is included, and excluded, from the category of human. This flute player also reflects the complex intersection of colonialism and art, where the exoticization of both humans and animals from colonized lands became fashionable. In its playful yet pointed critique, the flute player invites us to reflect on the values and prejudices embedded in our cultural artifacts.