Cup and saucer 1765 - 1785

The Fürstenberg Porcelain Manufactory created this cup and saucer, probably in the late 1700s, using hard-paste porcelain. This material, invented in Europe in the early 18th century, was extremely difficult to master. It involved firing a mixture of kaolin clay and petuntse at high temperatures. The result is a luminous, translucent material, which you can see in this example. Notice the delicate, hand-painted floral decoration – these would have been carefully applied after the first firing, with another firing to fix the color in place. It’s a labor-intensive process, involving great skill, as is evidenced by the pierced decoration on the saucer's raised element. The high value placed on porcelain made it a popular commodity, traded across the world. Yet it also speaks to the division of labor at the time, with specialized artisans producing wares for an aristocratic clientele. The cup and saucer are a potent reminder that even the most beautiful objects are rooted in social and economic realities.