Bowl 1755 - 1765

Editor: So this is a porcelain bowl, made at the Meissen Manufactory between 1755 and 1765. The monochrome figures are so delicate; it reminds me of a storybook illustration. What story do you think it is trying to tell? Curator: That’s a great starting point. Beyond the fairytale aesthetic, this bowl gives us a window into the socio-political climate of 18th-century Europe. Consider the figures. Who are they? How are they posed? What might their relationships signify in the context of class, gender, and power dynamics of the time? Editor: I see what you mean. The man is relaxed, while the woman fans herself. And there's a third character—almost like a jester—interrupting their repose. Is it a commentary on social hierarchy and leisure? Curator: Precisely. The scene evokes the French concept of “fête galante,” popularized by Watteau. However, this is made by a German manufacturer, so how do you read that appropriation of French aristocratic leisure by another nation? Does it replicate or subvert the social norms it depicts? Also, the use of porcelain itself is important, because porcelain was an extremely prized material during this period. Editor: I didn't think about porcelain being a prized material, I only focused on the figures depicted on the surface! So the material itself also adds meaning related to power and privilege. Is there a parallel to be drawn with contemporary society’s obsession with certain luxury items? Curator: Exactly! By exploring these connections, we start to question what has changed, and crucially, what hasn’t. Thinking about the bowl as a historical object that participates in the construction and reflection of social norms makes you consider who it was made *for*, by whom, and under what economic conditions? Editor: That definitely makes me think differently about what's on the surface and how that bowl represents deeper questions around identity and historical power dynamics. Thank you for making me see it as more than a pretty bowl!