Lady and gentleman playing a duet 1737

This delicate porcelain sculpture of a lady and gentleman playing a duet was crafted by the Meissen Manufactory, a German company renowned for its porcelain production during the 18th century. During this period, music and artistic patronage played a central role in aristocratic life, as seen here with the figures’ elaborate attire and the Rococo style sofa. Yet, the sculpture also reflects complex social dynamics. While the piece idealizes leisure and harmony, it obscures the labor and resources that were required to create it. The figures are placed centrally, while the labour is pushed into the periphery. The very material, porcelain, was known at the time as ‘white gold’ because of how lucrative it was to manufacture, but also how the creation of the material extracted natural resources and labor from colonized lands. Though seemingly innocuous, the sculpture serves as a reminder of the interwoven nature of art, class, and global power structures. It invites us to reflect on who is represented, and who is not.