Charger 1740 - 1750

Editor: Here we have an intriguing piece, a charger crafted by the Meissen Manufactory, sometime between 1740 and 1750. It’s porcelain, decorated with birds, insects, and plants. It’s so pristine. I’m curious, what stands out to you about this work? Curator: For me, it’s all about the production process and the social context surrounding it. Look at the material—porcelain, a highly prized commodity in 18th-century Europe. Its production was shrouded in secrecy; alchemy mixed with industrial labor. Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't considered the process much. Curator: Meissen was one of the first European factories to master porcelain production, directly impacting craft economies. This wasn’t just art, it was a trade secret. The act of replication challenged and redefined artistry. How do we reconcile luxury goods with the labour and materials extracted for its making? Editor: So, you're suggesting the plate's value resides less in the depiction and more in what it represents about the economics and craft of the time? Curator: Exactly. Consider how porcelain disrupted traditional ceramics. The means of production shaped what was consumed and how it was valued. Notice, too, the delicate painted decoration: each insect, each plant requiring skilled labor. The painting style imitates oil painting and further complicates definitions of what counts as high art versus decorative art. Editor: It’s interesting to think about the value attached to the *making* of it, not just the finished product. Curator: Right. We often forget that art isn’t born in a vacuum. This charger embodies the intersections of artistic skill, material resources, and economic forces during the Rococo era. Hopefully, that helps you re-evaluate other art, and think about them in new ways too.