Dish 1745 - 1750

Curator: Isn’t that charming? This is a porcelain dish from Chantilly, dating back to between 1745 and 1750. You’ll find it over at the Met. Editor: My first impression is it's deceptively simple. At first glance, a sweet floral design on a white plate. But then you notice the asymmetrical composition and the slightly muted palette – it hints at something more complex, a dialogue maybe between East and West, elegance and function. Curator: Absolutely. Chantilly porcelain, in its moment, was really trying to capture the elegance and the feel of Asian art, which was the height of chic. You see that here in the style of painting and that asymmetry you astutely observed, emulating Japanese Kakiemon porcelain. Editor: It's fascinating how objects like this become these little cultural battlegrounds. A French dish trying to "be" Japanese. What does that even mean? There’s a whole history of cultural appropriation baked into these decorative arts, a story of trade, empire, and exoticism. Curator: Yes! But, I mean, doesn't art borrow and breathe life from one another? The artisan, through this meticulous work, is riffing on Kakiemon styles and almost creating their own poetic vocabulary that feels unique. Editor: Riffing is one word for it! The question is always: who benefits? Who gets to tell the story? Whose traditions are being "riffed" upon? Often it’s the powerful who get to re-imagine the traditions of the less powerful in ways that reinforce existing hierarchies. Even on a teacup! Curator: Food for thought indeed. Next time you are at the Met, pause and consider not only its artistry but its cross-cultural exchange. Editor: Agreed. A lovely object, burdened by history, waiting for a more equitable future.