Saucer with a bird in a landscape, foliate scrolls and garlands c. 1790 - 1800

This is a porcelain saucer, decorated with a bird in a landscape, foliate scrolls, and garlands, made by Faubourg St. Denis. The detailed and delicate design of the bird in its natural habitat invites a certain kind of contemplation. The saucer reflects the 18th-century European fascination with the pastoral and the exotic. The bird, centered and framed, is anthropomorphized – it's not just an animal but an emblem, perhaps even a stand-in for human desires and emotions. The foliate scrolls and garlands, typical of the period, add a layer of aristocratic refinement. The artwork offers a glimpse into the societal values of the time. How might an object like this, used in intimate social gatherings, reinforce or challenge notions of class, taste, and the natural world? The emotional connection we form with the image of the bird encourages us to consider our relationship with nature, filtered through the lens of human artifice and social ritual.