Miniature seal in the form of Cupid 1753 - 1758

This miniature seal in the form of Cupid was crafted from porcelain at the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory in the mid-18th century. During this period, porcelain figurines became highly fashionable collectibles among the European elite, reflecting the era's fascination with luxury and refinement. The figure of Cupid, the Roman god of love, speaks to the complex social rituals surrounding courtship and desire in the 18th century. Often, such objects were commissioned or collected by wealthy patrons, reinforcing social hierarchies and norms of beauty. The whiteness of the porcelain and the figure itself alludes to the prevailing aesthetic ideals of the time, which emphasized purity and innocence. This miniature seal reminds us how art objects can serve as both reflections of and contributors to the societal values and power structures of their time. It also reflects how emotional connections were mediated through material culture.