Bord met geschulpte rand c. 1777 - 1790

This plate with a scalloped edge was made by the Porseleinfabriek Den Haag, but its exact date remains unknown. The delicate floral design speaks to the broader cultural interest in the natural world during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. While we can't say for sure when it was produced, we know that in the Netherlands, the late 18th century marked the rise of bourgeois culture, with wealthy merchants and professionals eager to display their refined tastes through decorative arts. Porcelain factories emerged to meet this demand. This plate is a tangible representation of that social climate. Was the factory self-consciously progressive in its designs, or did it aim to uphold existing social norms through safe imagery? To answer such questions, we might consult the factory's records, period advertisements, or even household inventories to understand how such objects were used and valued in their time. The meaning of this plate, like any work of art, is contingent on its historical and institutional context.