Tureen with cover in the form of a pigeon 1745 - 1765

This is a faience tureen with a cover in the form of a pigeon, made by Paul Hannong in Strasbourg. The tureen, now an object of aesthetic contemplation, has a curious relationship to its past, evoking questions of access, privilege, and consumption. The consumption of birds in Europe dates back millennia, and by the 18th century, birds such as pigeons had become a delicacy. Here we have this pigeon turned into a vessel, a tureen for wealthy tables of the era. These tureens allowed the elite to flaunt both their wealth and their mastery of the natural world. While elaborate displays were being made on aristocratic tables, the lives of the working classes were often marked by scarcity. This pigeon tureen, therefore, encapsulates a complex interplay of social status and cultural practices. It serves as a reminder of the power dynamics inherent in the act of consumption. It invites us to reflect on the stories of opulence and disparity that objects can tell.