Cream jug 1740 - 1750

Editor: This is the *Cream Jug*, made of porcelain by the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory between 1740 and 1750. It's currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The piece is so incredibly ornate and full of surprising details—from the sculptural goats forming the base to the butterflies flitting about. What strikes me is this sort of organized chaos of color. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Chaos, eh? Perhaps a well-managed garden party is more apt! Jokes aside, you are right, there is plenty going on. I feel the echoes of a pastoral fantasy, a whimsical dance between nature and artifice so particular to the Rococo. I immediately envision aristocrats playing shepherd and shepherdesses while pouring cream. Do you see how the handle becomes a flourishing tree branch? Editor: Absolutely, it’s so elaborate! It’s hard to imagine using it daily! It really does reflect that Rococo obsession with all things fanciful. Are there other details that hint at this connection? Curator: Think about the vibrant enameling – a riot of flowers, butterflies, even the bee buzzing around. All rendered with delightful asymmetry. Nothing feels stiff or overly formal. Also notice the two little goats forming the base. Goats connect to images of pastoral innocence that was then à la mode, suggesting a life closer to nature, but filtered through an aristocratic lens. Editor: It’s all incredibly thought-through. I had gotten hung up on how busy it looked and nearly missed those goats entirely. This really captures how decorative art provided a way to dream up an ideal. Curator: Indeed. By uniting form and decoration, these artists were creating miniature, tangible worlds of fantasy and escapism for their consumers. This jug reflects a desire to savor and appreciate the lighter sides of existence, maybe over tea and delicious creams. It is hard to look at the work and be stressed.