Plate from the Fish Service 1899

This is one plate from a larger Fish Service created by Hermann Gradl, a painter and designer working in Germany. Produced in the early 20th century, this plate exemplifies the Art Nouveau movement through its embrace of naturalistic motifs and organic, flowing lines, but it is not simply a decorative object. It reflects broader cultural interests in science and natural history that shaped European intellectual life at the time. The commission of elaborate porcelain services was also a status symbol for the upper classes. Objects like this reinforced social hierarchies. The study of ceramics provides insight into the patronage systems and power dynamics of the time. Archival research into the production and consumption of porcelain reveals the complex social life embedded in these seemingly simple objects.