Coffee Cup and Saucer 1804 - 1813

Curator: This striking porcelain pairing, titled "Coffee Cup and Saucer," comes to us from the Worcester Royal Porcelain Company. The piece, currently held here at the Art Institute of Chicago, dates to between 1804 and 1813. Editor: It has a remarkable festive quality. It is visually quite dense and creates this sensation of warmth and domesticity. Curator: The visual density certainly speaks to the period’s fascination with both neoclassicism and more exuberant forms of decoration. Look closely, and you will observe how motifs are laid out, referencing formal heraldry with a centrally placed red lion, surrounded by blooming floral embellishments. What do you make of this interplay between symbolic authority and natural exuberance? Editor: It tells a story of emerging bourgeoisie's desire to adopt symbols of power but interpret them in a less hierarchical way. They’ve domesticated heraldry by blending it with floral designs. It mirrors the rise of domestic comfort and private life during that era. These would be the first consumers! Curator: Precisely! It marks the shifts in power dynamics, but also the politics of consumption, doesn’t it? The lion represents power, but is almost rendered playful and benign. We might wonder, what statement is made by domesticating that emblem within this ornamental world? Editor: It signifies controlled authority. In revolutionary France the lion and other royal imagery was removed, even destroyed, because these objects reminded them of absolute power. However, I feel that domesticating and miniaturizing the imagery renders it safe and harmless. Even a touch humorous. Curator: Indeed, it brings up intriguing ideas of adapting older forms of iconography to mirror new social realities. Editor: The symbolic evolution through crafted, everyday objects opens fascinating avenues to reflect on socio-cultural evolution. It will become ubiquitous. What an interesting piece to unpack shifts in societal norms and values. Curator: Absolutely. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us today!