Bord met los over het plat pagodes bloeiende takken en een schip c. 1859 - 1863

This is a plate with loose, flat decorations of pagodas, flowering branches, and a ship by Guillaume Lambert. The cultural movement of Chinoiserie, which influenced the artwork, was a reflection of Europe's fascination with East Asia during the 17th and 18th centuries. The blue and white design evokes traditional Chinese porcelain. However, the scene, although inspired by Asian motifs, is a European interpretation, a fantasy rather than a true representation. Consider the power dynamics at play during this period of intense colonial expansion. The appropriation and reimagining of Asian aesthetics served to exoticize and Other the East, reinforcing a sense of European superiority. What does it mean to admire and emulate another culture while simultaneously subjugating it? This plate exists in that complex space, reflecting both appreciation and exploitation. It reminds us to consider the nuanced and often contradictory ways in which cultures interact and influence one another.