Gardener (one of a pair) 1760 - 1770

This is a porcelain figure of a Gardener, one of a pair, made by the Fulda Pottery and Porcelain Manufactory in the late 18th century in Germany. These figurines are visual documents of the social hierarchy in Europe at the time, hinting at the popularity of pastoral themes in aristocratic circles. Note the man's fashionable attire which signifies the gentleman taking on the role of a gardener, rather than an actual agricultural worker. What does it mean to dress up as a gardener? What fantasies are in play? These artworks are artifacts of institutional and social history; the origins of European porcelain production are closely linked to royal patronage and collecting practices. Further research into court records, fashion history, and the patronage of the Fulda Pottery and Porcelain Manufactory, might reveal even more about the function and meaning of these artworks. We can interpret this pair of figures as complex and revealing cultural objects.