Beaker and saucer 1720 - 1740

This Viennese beaker and saucer is delicately adorned with monochrome scenes of pastoral life. On each, there is a building, a house, a cottage, serving as symbols of stability and domesticity. Such a dwelling is often associated with safety and privacy, yet these symbols can also represent restriction. In ancient Greek tragedies, the house is the stage for familial drama and psychological turmoil. The house appears as a central motif in the collective unconscious of numerous cultures. It can be seen as a projection of the self, reflecting one's internal state. A well-kept house suggests a balanced psyche, while a dilapidated one can mirror inner chaos. And what of the lone figure that appears on the beaker? Is this an archetype of wandering and yearning, or perhaps, one returning home? The image has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.