Botanical plate with thistle 1750 - 1760

This botanical plate featuring a thistle was made at the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory in England, sometime between 1744 and 1784. The vogue for botanical art in the 18th century was tied to the rise of scientific exploration. As the British Empire expanded, so did the desire to document and classify the natural world. Porcelain factories like Chelsea catered to the tastes of wealthy consumers who sought to display their knowledge and sophistication through such wares. The thistle itself, native to Britain, carries layers of cultural meaning. On the one hand, it is a symbol of Scotland and of natural, untamed beauty, but at the same time, the plant also speaks to the institutional regulation of taste and knowledge during this period. To fully appreciate this plate, one might consult botanical texts of the period, factory records, and even social histories of consumption. The meaning of this porcelain, like all art, is contingent on its social and institutional context.