Sugar bowl c. 1777 - 1790

Editor: Here we have a dainty sugar bowl, made by Porseleinfabriek Den Haag, sometime between 1777 and 1790. It’s porcelain, and something about it makes me feel like I’m in a fancy dollhouse! It's decorated with colorful birds. What catches your eye, what stories does this little piece whisper to you? Curator: Ah, this little rococo jewel! I love the pastoral scenes. Do you see how the birds are almost…conversing? It makes me wonder, what would it be like to hear their sugar-fueled gossip? Back then, porcelain wasn't just tableware; it was a status symbol. Can you imagine the clinking of spoons and hushed whispers at a tea party? Editor: Totally! Like a scene from a Jane Austen novel, right? But porcelain seems so fragile. Were these sugar bowls really used every day? Curator: A brilliant question. While some porcelain was everyday ware, something as delicately painted as this piece might have been brought out for special occasions or displayed to show off wealth and taste. See the miniature landscapes; the details are quite amazing. How does that craftsmanship affect how you see its value? Editor: That makes total sense! I guess knowing it was a luxury item elevates it beyond just a container for sugar. It is like a tiny canvas. Thinking about it now, I see the craftsmanship less like utility and more as an object d'art! Curator: Exactly! These objects were made to be beautiful and to be admired as artworks. Thinking about its purpose, and the time period it was made really shifted your thinking of this artwork. What a treasure, isn't it? Editor: It really is! Now I see the sugar bowl with a completely different perspective!