Koffiekan with stars and ornamental borders c. 1791 - 1801

This koffiekan with stars and ornamental borders was crafted from porcelain at the Kaiserliche Porzellanmanufaktur. The elegant, minimalist design with its evenly spaced stars, speaks to the intersection of industrial production, where even the most ornate products could be manufactured on a large scale and the elite tastes of the late 19th century in Europe. Porcelain objects, like this koffiekan, were emblematic of wealth and sophistication, reflecting the cultural values of the rising bourgeoisie. Produced in the German Empire, this koffiekan embodies a period of rapid industrial expansion and social change. The Porzellanmanufaktur itself was an institution shaped by imperial patronage, tasked with creating objects that reflected the grandeur and power of the state. To truly understand this koffiekan, one could delve into the archives of the Porzellanmanufaktur, tracing the economic forces that propelled its production, or researching the social rituals that shaped its use. Art is always contingent on social and institutional context.