Saucer (part of a service) 1765 - 1775

This is a porcelain saucer, part of a service, made by the Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory. The decoration of tableware in eighteenth-century Europe was far from a neutral affair. These were objects of display as much as they were functional, and this imagery was carefully considered. This saucer, with its understated palette, is typical of the period. The depiction of a bird's nest might speak to contemporary ideas about nature, but what is particularly interesting is the institution that made it. Frankenthal was one of a number of porcelain manufactories that sprang up in Europe, often under the patronage of royalty. These factories offered local alternatives to imported wares, which, beyond their economic benefits, spoke to national pride. Further research into the Frankenthal factory's production, along with an analysis of similar wares, would tell us much about the social meanings of this seemingly simple object.