Plate c. 1775

This collection of plates, made by an anonymous artist, presents a formal arrangement of domestic objects. The uniformity of color across the objects, alongside the variation in shape and size, sets up a dialogue between repetition and difference. At first glance, the collection appears harmonious, yet closer inspection reveals subtle variations in surface texture and ornamentation, inviting us to consider the role of the handmade in mass-produced items. The arrangement, seemingly random, suggests a deeper structure relating to balance, symmetry, and rhythm. Each plate acts as a signifier, pointing beyond its function to ideas of domesticity, ritual, and social interaction. Yet, the anonymous artist denies us a fixed interpretation. The plates resist any singular narrative, existing instead as open structures, prompting us to question the values and meanings we project onto everyday objects.