Dish 1720 - 1735

This porcelain dish, made in Vienna, invites us to consider the role of decorative arts in reflecting social values. The dish is shaped like a leaf and adorned with images of cherubs and wild animals. In eighteenth-century Vienna, porcelain production was heavily influenced by the imperial court, which established the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory. Luxury items like this dish were made for the aristocracy and reflect their tastes. The imagery blends classical and exotic motifs. The cherubs evoke a sense of innocence, while the leopards and tigers suggest the thrill of the hunt and the vastness of the natural world. The dish seems to celebrate wealth, power, and the pleasures of consumption, all central to courtly life. By examining such objects alongside archival documents, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between art, power, and society in eighteenth-century Vienna.