Theepot 1777 - 1790

Editor: This is "Theepot," made between 1777 and 1790 by the Porseleinfabriek Den Haag. It's earthenware. What strikes me is the delicate scene painted on it. How do you read this piece? Curator: From a materialist perspective, the teapot becomes fascinating. Think about the production process. Earthenware production involved skilled labor. The mining of the clay, shaping the form, painting those scenes—all tied to specific social and economic relations of the time. Editor: So it’s not just a pretty object but a product of its context? Curator: Exactly. We can ask: Who owned this teapot? What did it mean to them? Was it purely decorative, or was it part of a ritual of tea consumption connected to global trade and colonial power? And what does the Rococo style of the landscape tell us about their values? It certainly emphasizes leisure and an idealized nature. Editor: That’s a great point about leisure! How does that challenge the boundaries of "high art" and craft, though? Curator: Often, craft objects are devalued because they are "functional." But consider the artistry, the labour invested in it. By focusing on materiality, we recognize the significance of all forms of making and consumption, seeing this object in relation to larger industries. It flattens hierarchies imposed onto creative practices. Editor: So, understanding the material and production helps us unpack the object's historical role, and what the function of the landscapes means about class and labour in society at the time? Curator: Precisely. It forces us to confront power dynamics embedded even in seemingly innocuous objects, challenging aesthetic standards based only on beauty rather than history, labour and socioeconomic elements. Editor: This has really given me a new lens for approaching decorative arts! Curator: Me too! It is always fascinating how production elements give access to an alternative comprehension.