Sweetmeat Dish c. 1765 - 1770

This sweetmeat dish was made by the Worcester Royal Porcelain Company, sometime in the 18th century. It embodies many of the values and concerns that defined the British Empire in that period. The blue-and-white aesthetic immediately evokes fine Chinese porcelain, highly prized in Europe at the time. But it was also a period of expanding British trade routes into Asia and the establishment of British manufacturing institutions. The production of porcelain like this sweetmeat dish was intended to take advantage of both, by imitating eastern styles and keeping wealth within the Empire. The botanical imagery makes reference to a global trade in sugar and other commodities associated with slavery and the exploitation of colonial lands. Looking closely at the visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations helps us to examine the role of art as a reflection of society and its underlying structures of wealth and power. We can consult company records, trade statistics, and historical documents to understand it better.