Theekop met decoratie van trofeeën aan gestrikte linten before 1814

This delicate porcelain teacup, made by the Koninklijke Porseleinfabriek Dommer & Co., is decorated with images of art-making tools tied together with ribbons. The cup can be understood as a commentary on the status of the art world in its time. The Netherlands was, at this point, one of the major centers for the production and trade of luxury goods, and porcelain, with its refined beauty, was one of the most desirable of these commodities. It was collected and displayed in the homes of the wealthy as a symbol of status. The cup's imagery may have served to elevate art itself to the level of luxury goods, by associating it with high status objects. To fully understand the cup, one would need to research the history of porcelain production in the Netherlands, as well as the social history of the art world during the period when the cup was made. This kind of research helps us to appreciate art as something that is deeply embedded in its social and institutional context.