Saucer from a tea service for twelve 1807 - 1808

This is a saucer from a tea service, made of hard-paste porcelain, painted by Christophe-Ferdinand Caron in the late 18th or early 19th century. This kind of porcelain required a high-temperature firing, which vitrifies the clay and allows for delicate forms. Notice the crispness of the painted details: the bird at the center, and the gilded ornamentation around the rim. These would have been added over the fired glaze, in multiple stages. The rosy color comes from the careful application of a pigment and its firing. These ornamented ceramics were made in factories, like Sèvres near Paris. They were emblems of elite status, purchased and enjoyed by those who had the means for leisurely socializing. Skilled workers executed the various stages of production, following a very rigid division of labor. So this beautiful object, like so many others, reflects both artistic achievement and the social realities of its time. It is a reminder of the importance of thinking about materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork.