Plate 1800 - 1825

Editor: Here we have a ceramic plate by the Montereau Pottery, created sometime between 1800 and 1825. The simple monochrome design depicts a shepherd with his flock near the sea. What stands out to me is how this everyday object elevates a common pastoral scene, “Le Berger et la Mer”, to a form of art. What do you make of it? Curator: Considering it materially, it’s crucial to examine the clay, the glaze, the print transfer process, and the firing. Each choice reveals information about the maker's access to resources, skill, and even the intended market for this plate. We should not disregard that it might have been used to serve food. Do you think it was created with aesthetics or functionality in mind? Editor: I think the fact that the manufacturers chose a neoclassical scene—a shepherd overlooking the sea—points towards an intention beyond mere functionality, doesn’t it? Isn’t it trying to be both, a beautiful and functional object, maybe for the rising middle class? Curator: Precisely. The industrial production methods democratized art by making it accessible to wider audiences, though at the expense of traditional craftsmanship. This challenges our notions of art production as an industrial or craft product. Is this high art, a decorative object, or utilitarian ware? Can it be all three? Editor: That’s an interesting perspective. I always looked at the artistic value first, but you’re making me reconsider the labor and social context embedded in the piece itself. It makes me think about the industrial revolution. Curator: Yes! The industrial production changed consumption habits but also highlights tensions of labor division and value. By studying its materiality and means of production, we can discuss this plate as part of the dawn of mass production. Editor: This has definitely opened my eyes to considering the broader social implications behind seemingly simple objects! I appreciate your materialist perspective!