Teapot c. 1759 - 1771

This teapot was produced by the Weesper porseleinfabriek. Though undated, its style can tell us much about the culture of its time. The Rococo sensibility seen in the asymmetrical design and the pastoral scenes painted on the surface, recall the court of Louis XV in France. These motifs were fashionable throughout Europe in the 18th century and spread through printmaking and the decorative arts. The Dutch Republic, where this teapot was made, was a major center of trade in this period. Tea drinking was increasingly popular, and the wealthy merchant class acquired a taste for luxury goods from abroad. The Weesper factory produced porcelain for this new market. Historians look at these objects to understand the cultural values and social relations of the past. Research into trade routes and the social history of collecting helps us to interpret the meanings of this teapot and the world in which it was made.