Mandolin Player c. 1755

Curator: This porcelain figurine, titled "Mandolin Player," was manufactured by Höchst Porcelain Manufactory. It's currently part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: The figure seems to float ethereally. Those sculpted sleeves create such lightness, don’t they? It’s as if sound itself is taking shape. Curator: The mandolin, of course, traditionally signifies romance and leisurely pursuits. In this context, she becomes a symbol of aristocratic refinement. Editor: The dress pattern, though, hints at something more grounded. Those floral motifs echo the natural world, and perhaps a subtle yearning for simplicity away from the court. Curator: Possibly, or maybe that's just a romanticization viewed through our modern lens. The very material, porcelain, speaks volumes about status and wealth at the time of its creation. Editor: True. It’s a potent little object, this "Mandolin Player," full of layered meanings about aspiration, artifice, and maybe even a little longing.