Saucer with putti in a landscape c. 1775 - 1785

This porcelain saucer, decorated with putti in a landscape, was crafted by Höchst, a German porcelain manufacturer. The imagery here is pulled directly from the visual language of the Rococo: playful, sensual, and lighthearted. However, these cherubic figures can be read as an expression of power dynamics, and the representation of innocence in art, particularly during periods of social upheaval, is a complex issue. Consider the historical context: during the eighteenth century, European society was marked by strict class divisions and the rise of colonialism. The production of porcelain itself was tied to global trade routes and the exploitation of resources from colonized lands. The figures are decontextualized, perhaps floating free from worldly concerns, perhaps not. The saucer, thus, becomes more than a mere decorative object. It is a symbol of luxury and status, but also a reflection of the social and economic structures that enabled its creation.