Woman playing a hurdy-gurdy 1760 - 1775

This is a porcelain figure of a Woman playing a hurdy-gurdy, made by Höchst Manufactory in the mid-18th century. During this period, the rigid hierarchies of European society were slowly beginning to shift. The figure presents a woman holding a hurdy-gurdy. This instrument, often associated with traveling musicians and lower classes, gains a new, somewhat romantic appeal during this time. We see her wearing what appears to be fashionable attire which may suggest the artist’s attempt to blur class boundaries. Höchst Manufactory, like other porcelain producers of the time, aimed to capture the spirit of the Rococo era, with its emphasis on elegance, lightness, and playful themes. Yet, by depicting a woman with a hurdy-gurdy, the artists also hint at the changing social landscape, perhaps reflecting the era’s growing interest in the lives and experiences of everyday people. The emotional depth and the sense of identity in the artwork allow us to reflect on how societal norms can be both challenged and celebrated through art.