Cylindrical mug with figures in a landscape and FitzHugh-border c. 1780 - 1800

This is an anonymous, cylindrical mug decorated with figures in a landscape and FitzHugh-border, now held in the Rijksmuseum. The cultural context of this piece lies in the Dutch Republic's fascination with Asian aesthetics. Crafted during a time of intense global trade, this mug embodies the phenomenon of "chinoiserie". The blue and white porcelain mimics the highly coveted Chinese ceramics, but the depicted landscape is a European interpretation, filtered through Western eyes. What we have here is not a true representation of the East, but a Western fantasy. The mug becomes a stage upon which Europeans could project their desires, anxieties, and dreams about the 'Orient'. It testifies to the entangled histories of trade, imitation, and cultural imagination that shaped the early modern world. Notice how the handle of the mug has flowers on the top and bottom, demonstrating wealth and status. This piece encapsulates the complex relationship between cultures. It's a reminder of how objects can become powerful carriers of cultural meaning, reflecting both the beauty of cross-cultural exchange and the potential for misrepresentation.