The Thrown Kiss 1731 - 1741

These porcelain figures, titled 'The Thrown Kiss,' were created by the Meissen Manufactory. The scene suggests a flirtatious exchange between a lady and a gentleman. Made in Germany, the figures reflect the 18th-century European fascination with Chinese aesthetics, visible in the man's robe. The Meissen factory was the first to discover the formula for hard-paste porcelain outside of China, giving it immense cultural and economic power. Porcelain became associated with wealth and aristocratic taste. 'The Thrown Kiss' speaks to the social rituals of the upper classes, like courtship, made all the more luxurious through their representation in such a costly material. To better understand these figures, we can research the history of the Meissen Manufactory, the social customs of 18th-century European aristocracy, and the trade routes that brought Chinese porcelain to Europe, shaping its visual culture. The meaning of art objects like these is always contingent on such social and institutional histories.