Plate c. 1840

Curator: Look at this delightful "Plate," crafted around 1840 by the Wedgwood Manufactory. It's currently held in the collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. The delicate porcelain is adorned with... oh, what a wordless wonder! Editor: Hmm, cornucopias and muted blooms? It feels like a visual representation of quiet prosperity. Makes you think of lavish afternoon teas enjoyed during times of social stability. It’s a stage for quiet affluence. Curator: Absolutely! It's fascinating how the placement of the cornucopias and florals creates a sense of abundance. It whispers stories of lush gardens and plentiful harvests; it's like having spring on your table. And yet... there is something just slightly melancholic about the slightly faded elegance and the knowledge of who did not have a place at the table. Editor: Precisely. The cornucopia motif itself speaks to production and surplus. Wedgwood, after all, was a factory. How many hands touched this plate? How was the clay sourced, fired, decorated? What were the working conditions? These porcelain objects weren't just passively consumed; they depended on a complex system of extraction and production to get here. Curator: That's so interesting—I think you’re bringing in all the hands that never appear in idyllic artwork. When I look at the detail of these hand-painted flowers, I sense so much tenderness. You wonder about the artist. They may have felt constrained by painting yet another piece in the workshop and then gone home to cultivate their own unruly, defiant garden in their mind! Editor: Possibly, or maybe they found creative outlet, artistic freedom, even a little quiet rebellion within the repetitive labor? But definitely, the rise of decorative arts and access to commodity goods is also about class aspiration, access, and global resource supply lines in the 19th century. Curator: Yes! Suddenly the silent surface is full of shouting. I'll never look at a floral plate quite the same way again. Editor: Me neither, though I'm now thinking of finding a cheap version at a charity shop. We should bring some contemporary artistic labor back to life!