-Resurrection- plate c. 1745

This ‘Resurrection’ plate was made anonymously, of porcelain, and decorated with enamel. Porcelain is created by firing refined clay at very high temperatures. The resulting material is strong, non-porous, and can be rendered very thin. The designs are enameled, meaning they were painted onto the surface and then fired at a lower temperature to fix them in place. Here, the image of the Resurrection is presented as a detailed grayscale composition. The graphic quality of the design takes advantage of the smooth surface of the porcelain. Note the gilding around the rim of the plate; an indication of the high value placed on this kind of object. It is a functional item that would have been displayed, and its design implies that it was made for a consumer with wealth and religious inclinations. Considering the labor involved in the mining of the clay, the refinement of the porcelain, the hand-painting and multiple firing cycles, this plate is an exemplar of the kind of elaborate production process that underpins so much of our material world.