Box in the form of a basket of pears c. 1750 - 1780

This is a faience box, formed as a basket of pears, by De Porceleyne Byl. Think about what this says about the culture that would produce it: a world in which even the containers in which you store things are crafted to look like art. Food becomes not just sustenance but an aesthetic experience. This work speaks to the material culture of the Dutch Republic, where prosperity allowed for an increased focus on decorative arts and still life paintings, reflecting both the abundance of goods and the artistry in everyday life. Consider how something as simple as a pear could be elevated to an object of beauty, indicative of the era's fascination with realism and the pleasures of the senses. It’s a small box, but it’s brimming with the cultural values of its time.