Cup (part of a set) 1730 - 1745

This delicate porcelain cup was made at the Meissen Manufactory, established in Germany in 1710. The cup is part of a larger set, each piece painstakingly formed from fine kaolin clay and fired at high temperatures. The material itself, porcelain, holds significant weight. Its creation in Europe was driven by a fascination with Asian ceramics, sparking intense competition and near-alchemical experimentation. The decoration—underglaze paintings of figures in vaguely "Oriental" settings—speaks to this dynamic, reflecting European fantasies about the East. Consider the intense labor involved: from sourcing and preparing the clay, to the skilled hands that shaped and decorated the cup, to the complex firing process. Meissen porcelain was a luxury item, embodying both artistic skill and industrial ambition. Thinking about this cup, we can question traditional hierarchies of art and craft, recognizing the cultural and economic forces intertwined in its making.