Cup and Saucer from a Tea Service 1807 - 1813

This cup and saucer were produced by the Worcester Porcelain Works, established in 1751, a period marked by significant social stratification and burgeoning global trade. Consider how an object like this reflects the intersection of class and colonialism. Tea, once a rare commodity, became a symbol of British culture, intimately tied to colonial expansion and the exploitation of resources and labor in places like India and China. Owning a delicate tea set like this one signaled a certain level of social status, an aspirational participation in a refined, global culture. Notice the intricate, gilded decoration against the warm coral ground. It evokes both luxury and the exotic. These motifs were not merely decorative; they were cultural commodities, laden with the weight of imperial narratives and power dynamics. Think about the stories this cup and saucer could tell, of drawing rooms and social rituals, but also of the complex, often troubling, networks of trade and empire that made such refinement possible.