Plate c. 1740

This plate was crafted by the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, reflecting the aesthetic and social values of its time. European porcelain manufactories like Meissen borrowed heavily from Asian motifs and styles. But, look closer, here a European pastoral scene unfolds. A shepherd offers his bounty to a seated woman, likely a member of the aristocracy playing at the simple life. Such scenes celebrated a rural fantasy, even as the realities of peasant life were often harsh. The plate gives us pause to consider the complex interplay of class, labor, and representation, reflecting the romanticized, and often inaccurate, visions of rural life held by the elite. This piece is a reminder that even the most decorative objects carry stories of social and economic inequality.