Soup Plate c. 1755

This soup plate was made around the mid-18th century by the Bow Porcelain Factory. It’s made of soft-paste porcelain, a type of ceramic that was developed in Europe to imitate the hard-paste porcelain of China. The Bow factory was one of the first to produce porcelain in England, and they were masters of the painstaking processes needed to mix materials and create beautiful forms. The decoration here, with its stylized birds and flowers, is hand-painted with enamel colors over a glaze, which was then fired to make it permanent. The overall effect is one of delicate refinement. These plates weren't just functional objects; they were also symbols of status. Porcelain production was highly labor-intensive, requiring skilled artisans and costly materials, so owning pieces like this one signaled wealth and taste. The high level of craft involved challenges our modern distinction between fine art and design.