Plate with bouquets and flower sprays c. 1839

Curator: Looking at this plate, what stands out to you? Editor: Well, first of all, it feels incredibly delicate, almost fragile. The scattering of tiny floral arrangements across the white porcelain gives it a light, airy quality. Curator: This plate, crafted around 1839, was produced by Fabriek Dominique Denuelle. It’s titled “Plate with bouquets and flower sprays.” Editor: Denuelle... so this isn’t simply a decorative piece, is it? Curator: Not at all. Think about the rise of industrialization at the time, and how porcelain production was evolving. This piece represents a democratization of luxury. Suddenly, these items weren’t solely for the aristocracy, the emerging middle class aspired to a refined lifestyle, reflected in these types of dishware, like this plate adorned with tempera paint. It embodies societal shifts and burgeoning consumerism. Editor: That is a very different perspective than mine. I find that floral patterns on everyday objects at the time spoke to an interesting dynamic, almost in conflict. A way of holding onto the natural world and domestic ideals while everything changed so rapidly around people. The scattering, almost haphazard pattern of these bouquets hints to an underlying fragility during great changes. Curator: Yes, and consider the labor involved in producing these pieces, and the social conditions of the factory workers involved, compared to those affluent individuals using such refined objects. The history is embedded in this "simple" plate. Editor: So it’s a canvas reflecting the tension between industry, nature, and class dynamics? I see the historical complexities there. Ultimately, it offers more than just an aesthetic appreciation, I think it offers a critical lens for analysing societal norms. Curator: Precisely, looking at it in our current context we begin to think of issues of social change and material culture. Editor: Absolutely, the narratives and layered complexities that hide just behind the surface of a porcelain plate! It is incredible.