Wineglass Cooler 1789

This wineglass cooler was made at the Sèvres porcelain manufactory in France. It’s made of hard-paste porcelain, a very pure white clay fired at high temperature. Sèvres was known for its elaborate decorative techniques, and you can see that at play here. The body of the cooler is ornamented with bands of color and gilding, all meticulously applied by hand. Notice the small handles, and how the decoration carefully surrounds them. The whole object has a sense of refinement, a luxurious quality meant to evoke the lifestyle of the French aristocracy. But don't forget this was a factory. While the designers and painters enjoyed considerable prestige, the workers involved in the more mundane tasks were not so privileged. So, we can understand this object not only for its surface appeal, but also as the product of many hands, working under strict conditions. Thinking about the making of this object, its materials, and the social context of its production, helps us to see beyond the traditional divide between art and craft.