Cup and saucer 19th century

Editor: This lovely cup and saucer was created in the 19th century by the Meissen Manufactory. They're currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and are made of ceramic and porcelain. The monochrome and balanced symmetry feels stately and formal. What design elements strike you? Curator: The bilateral symmetry dominating both cup and saucer is quite intentional. Consider the central heraldic emblem. It dictates the composition, doesn't it? The formal repetition—mirrored plumes, symmetrical shield, balanced crown—establish visual equilibrium. The borders offer a softened geometrical echo, while the stark contrast accentuates the primary image's complexity. It is almost rigidly designed. Editor: Rigid indeed! What purpose do you think these elements serve? Curator: They underscore notions of power and refinement. The formal visual language, through calculated repetition and measured contrasts, conveys aristocratic control. Consider also the very *whiteness* of the porcelain - it speaks of purity, cost, and control of technique. The semiotics present in even utilitarian art like tableware provides insight to its consumption and those that it serves. Editor: So, it is more than just functional; the makers have elevated something common to carry an artistic message about its function. The surface and composition tells as much of a story as the objects. Curator: Precisely. Art finds it way into many places, its purpose never limited to decoration. Now do you interpret the symbolism differently? Editor: I do. Now that I'm more aware of the structure, I can better interpret what the cup is really 'saying'. Curator: Splendid, that is the mark of true contemplation and comprehension.