Deksel van Engels hardgebakken aardewerk, Boch faience fine c. 1775 - 1810

Curator: This is a ceramic lid, specifically for an English hard-fired earthenware piece dating to around 1775-1810. It was created by Boch, showcasing "faience fine". Editor: Oh, it's charming. Almost playful! The white and blue glaze and that little pear or knob on top give it such a domestic feel. Sort of Grandma's soup tureen vibe, right? Curator: Absolutely. The Rococo style would certainly be linked to those ideals, the decorative arts bringing visual beauty and elegance into everyday domestic spaces. Rococo, especially through decorative objects like these, acted as an important marker for burgeoning middle classes to demonstrate refined tastes. Editor: Ah, interesting. So, it's not just a pretty face; it’s making a statement about who’s eating out of it. I love that the blue isn't quite Delftware vibrant. It's softer, almost wistful. Was that deliberate or an evolution in technique? Curator: The evolution in the manufacturing processes certainly played a significant part in that. Advances in ceramic production during this era, with greater access to new raw materials, brought a focus to producing work faster and also replicating the shapes that were very popular at that time. Editor: The blue reminds me of faded denim, it’s such a great colour. Did pieces like this reflect anxieties or commentary on other, greater political things? Curator: This was the eve of the French Revolution. We're witnessing an increasingly prosperous merchant class. This work and others of this time speak to new aspirations and desires—a yearning for refinement in an era of monumental social upheaval. And also demonstrating colonial ties to faraway locations from which some materials would originate. Editor: So, in its quiet way, it’s speaking volumes about its time. Next time I’m having a bad day, I’m coming back here. So much going on here to look at. Curator: Exactly! What may seem like a decorative object offers a deep engagement with larger power structures. I'm so pleased you enjoyed looking at it.