Beaker (one of a pair) 1730 - 1740

This porcelain beaker was made by the Workshop of Charles Fromery in Berlin in the early 18th century. The lavish use of gold decoration and the finely painted harbor scene speak to the beaker’s function as a luxury object aimed at a wealthy elite. But more than just display its owner’s riches, the imagery here speaks to the burgeoning culture of commerce that defined the Prussian state at this time. Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia during Fromery’s lifetime, was committed to mercantilist economic policies and invested heavily in infrastructure projects like canals and roads. We can see how the image creates meaning through visual codes and historical associations. The scene of busy workers unloading cargo at a port presents an idealized image of industrious labor and overseas trade, subtly legitimizing the state’s economic agenda. Historical sources such as royal correspondence and workshop inventories can help us better understand how pieces like this reflected the values of the Prussian court and the social function of decorative art. Ultimately, the beaker reminds us that the meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.