Milk jug with a bouquet and flower sprays c. 1800 - 1849

This delicate milk jug was made by the Kaiserliche Porzellanmanufaktur, using the process of porcelain production, a demanding alchemy of kaolin, petuntse, and skillful firing. Consider the smooth, cool feel of the porcelain, its pristine whiteness achieved through carefully controlled high-temperature firing. The floral decoration, painted with precision, speaks to the traditions of botanical illustration. The jug’s creation relies on a division of labor, from the miners extracting the raw materials to the artists applying the final painted touches. Porcelain like this was very much a luxury commodity, intended for the tables of the wealthy. Objects like these show how closely art and industry have always been linked. The milk jug reminds us that even the most seemingly decorative objects are rooted in the hard realities of material extraction, production, and consumption. It’s a reminder to consider the full story behind every object that we consume.