Saucer with two dragons between waves c. 1700 - 1724

This small saucer, decorated with two dragons amid waves, was made in China, though the exact date and maker are unknown. It is made of porcelain, which becomes brilliantly white and translucent when fired at high temperatures, a process perfected in China. The cobalt blue decoration is painted by hand, a skilled process, but one that would have been performed by relatively low-paid workers in large workshops. Dragons, powerful symbols of the natural world, were a popular motif. This imagery, combined with the refined material, would have made the saucer an attractive commodity, both within China and for export to the West. This piece exemplifies the complex relationship between labor, cultural meaning, and global commerce, a dynamic that fueled the porcelain trade for centuries. The object invites us to consider the many hands and histories embedded in its creation.