Cup and Saucer 1752 - 1753

This cup and saucer were made in France by the Manufacture de porcelaine de Vincennes, a royal porcelain factory, sometime between 1740 and 1756. During this period, porcelain was more than just tableware, it was a potent symbol of status and power. Aristocrats across Europe collected and flaunted these delicate objects as a display of their wealth and refined taste. Artisans, often anonymous, were tasked with creating pieces that catered to the desires of the elite. Consider the cup and saucer's decoration: idyllic scenes of birds set against a backdrop of deep blue and ornate gold. It offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the French aristocracy and their idealized vision of nature. Yet, it also invites us to reflect on the labor and resources required to produce such luxury items, and the complex social hierarchies they represented. What stories might these objects tell us about the lives of those who made, used, and coveted them?