Soup Plate c. 1775

Curator: Here we have a “Soup Plate,” a collection of Rococo porcelain crafted around 1775 by an anonymous artist, currently held in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Wow, it's almost overwhelmingly…ivory. At first glance, it feels staged, like a meticulously arranged tableau, and there is some comfort in it. I almost imagine tiny food for tiny feasts. Curator: I appreciate you noticing the deliberate arrangement. Rococo decorative arts often signal elite consumption, reflecting the aristocracy's desire for extravagant display. Foodways certainly factored into the politics of this porcelain. This soup set marks a transition in dining culture in terms of gender, too. Soup was easier for men to chew than roast meat, allowing women at the table to engage in extended conversations, contributing to their influence in intellectual circles. Editor: Oh, fascinating! I like the gendered food politics involved with it, that makes the conversation deeper for me, now imagining the clinking of silverware, a symbol of polite exchange—or subtle power plays? Also, each individual piece has these intricate designs on it, what can you say about them? Curator: The molded relief designs around the edges show that this artist took special care into every crevice. It is almost impossible to identify what kinds of floral ornaments we see, perhaps ivy and berries. With all this decoration, we can interpret that dining became not just about nourishment but a refined, curated spectacle—for wealthy circles to reinforce and display social dominance. Editor: In this still, quiet presentation, those little touches become even more evident. Almost as if inviting one to come closer and notice details and embrace this aristocratic scene, yet there is a certain austerity in that monochromatic look... Makes one almost feel like royalty having to pick his silverware! Curator: Absolutely. It embodies how even seemingly mundane objects carry coded messages. And, of course, the absence of the artist's name subtly reinforces the elitist associations embedded into the piece. Editor: Mmm, this piece has indeed had a full course for the mind. Thanks for the intellectual digestif.