Pair of vases 1722 - 1733

These two vases were created by the Meissen Manufactory, and are made of hard-paste porcelain. Meissen was the first to discover the formula for true porcelain outside of China. Porcelain is an incredibly demanding material. It must be fired at very high temperatures, and is prone to warping and cracking. The decoration is also a highly skilled process. Notice the finely painted landscapes, which recall Chinese prototypes. But these vases weren't made in China; they're European fantasies of the East, made for a wealthy clientele. The amount of labor involved in making these vases is considerable, from the mining of the clay to the painting of the scenes. Porcelain became a symbol of European power and wealth, and these vases were a form of conspicuous consumption. So next time you see a porcelain object, think about all the work that went into it, and the social context in which it was made. By understanding materials, making, and context, we can appreciate the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.