Cup and Saucer c. 1775

This cup and saucer was made by the Ginori Manufactory in Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. The delicate porcelain is painted with idyllic scenes in pink, framed by a dark blue border and gilded with intricate patterns. These luxurious items were not merely functional; they spoke volumes about the owner’s social standing and taste. Made in Italy, such pieces reflect the rise of bourgeois culture. As wealth expanded beyond the aristocracy, so did the desire to emulate aristocratic lifestyles. Porcelain like this became a means of displaying one's affluence and refinement. Factories such as Ginori, therefore, played a crucial role in shaping social identities. The historian’s role is to unearth the cultural values embedded in objects like this. By studying trade records, social commentaries, and design trends, we can begin to understand the social aspirations that everyday objects could represent.