Plate c. 1775

This plate was crafted by an anonymous artist and can be found at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Serving ware, like this plate, offers us a peek into the cultural and social rituals surrounding dining. During its time, dining customs would have been dictated by hierarchies of class, and gender. The elaborate presentation and decoration of serving ware like this wasn't just about functionality; it was a performance that reinforced status. Who was invited to the table, where they sat, what they ate, and even the serving dishes used were all carefully orchestrated to display social standing and reinforce social norms. Consider what is missing: the hands that prepared the food and laid the table. They're often the hands of women, servants, or enslaved people, whose labor enabled these displays of wealth and refinement. So, next time you sit down to eat, remember the stories these objects hold, and the hands that shaped them and the meals they served.