Guitarist 1750 - 1764

Curator: Ah, this piece has such character! It’s “Guitarist,” made between 1750 and 1764 by the Capodimonte Porcelain Manufactory. It's a delightful porcelain sculpture, full of Rococo charm. Editor: My initial thought is, pure joy. The way he’s belting out that tune, throwing his whole body into it! It’s incredibly lively for a piece of porcelain, isn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. These Capodimonte figures were incredibly popular. This one embodies a sort of pastoral fantasy. A glimpse of a carefree, idealized life. But porcelain itself also carried considerable weight. Editor: Right, porcelain… often collected, isn't it? More than just decoration? This almost theatrical pose— arm upraised, mouth wide open—it’s like a captured moment from a play. I bet it would be a statement on any aristocrat's mantle! Curator: Exactly! These porcelains signified wealth, artistry, refinement, and worldliness. Capodimonte sought to impress and emulate fine art. They brought opera characters and musical figures into these elite collections, so music wasn't confined to concert halls. Editor: Thinking of its modern setting in the Met, surrounded by thousands of works of art with such weighty themes... this "Guitarist" shines like a happy interlude. Does it subvert this role somehow? Perhaps its very disposability provides an unassuming appeal and ironic commentary? Curator: That’s a brilliant perspective. Mass production did, over time, democratize porcelain. So its role shifted. It still is about elegance, but about something more humble, domestic. I find it touching. Editor: So, what starts as high art filters its way down to middle class, and by extension a wider viewership now? And you know what else strikes me now? Porcelain itself seems an unexpected choice for such a boisterous, loud figure. Like capturing thunder in a teacup. Curator: Ha! Exactly! That tension adds a whole layer of wit, doesn't it? Porcelain implies restraint; he embodies the opposite. I love that contrast. Editor: Me too. It makes me smile. The artistry is certainly charming, and in terms of artistry or history, that's not something you often hear anymore, is it? I'm glad to feel this simple sense of pleasure again, contemplating such fine pieces like this. Curator: It does give you the feeling you can almost hear that joyous tune! Thank you for opening a different window!