Plate with the coat of arms of Hendrik Peter Godfried Quack and Isabella Gertraud von Carnap c. 1790 - 1800

Curator: This is a decorative plate crafted sometime between 1790 and 1800. It’s currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It's small. Dainty, even. A flash of pure ostentation. The gilding is immediately striking against the stark white stoneware. Curator: The central image is quite interesting—a coat of arms. Specifically, it represents Hendrik Peter Godfried Quack and Isabella Gertraud von Carnap. What symbols do you see emerging? Editor: Well, it all speaks to social class and manufacturing. Someone with means commissioned this, no doubt. The gilded decoration itself, it suggests access to specialized labor and materials. What sort of techniques were employed? Curator: Indeed, it signifies status and lineage. Notice the lion and the figure of Atlas supporting what seems to be an astral symbol. It points towards a desire for stability and the projection of power, rendered in a neoclassical style. These aren't just embellishments, they tell a story. Editor: I see how that story is materially grounded. It must have been fired at a very high temperature to get this pristine, bright white background. But those gilded details, I wonder how much gold leaf they actually used... And the hands involved! Curator: Let’s remember, objects like this were important cultural carriers. It shows an interest in classical ideals during the late 18th century. How are such values incorporated into the construction of dynastic imagery? Editor: Absolutely. It’s this interplay of function and the social signaling that I find so intriguing. The form follows money. This wasn't created as "art for art's sake;" this was commissioned labor serving a very specific, status-affirming purpose. Curator: A lovely piece that lets us explore notions of status through visual language, cultural values, and family. Editor: An extravagant object born out of collective skill. A moment captured, through careful labor, for us to interpret across the ages.