Fan-shape 'Persian' bottle with handles (one of a pair) 1872

This vibrant turquoise bottle was produced by Minton, a ceramics firm tracing its origins back to 1793 in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It's no accident that the title includes the word ‘Persian’. The 19th century saw Western artists and designers draw inspiration from what was perceived as the exotic allure of the ‘Orient.’ These interpretations often involved a blend of admiration and misrepresentation, fueled by colonial power dynamics and the desire to create marketable objects. Minton was known for its willingness to reproduce the styles of other cultures, but does so here in a way that makes the cultural inspiration difficult to locate exactly. The ‘Persian’ bottle is an instance of cultural appropriation, where an aesthetic is lifted from its origins, shifting its meaning. This bottle invites us to reflect on how cultural exchange and power intersect in the realm of art and design. It serves as a reminder to critically examine the stories we tell ourselves about other cultures, and to consider whose voices are amplified, and whose are silenced, in the process.