Waste bowl c. 1735

Editor: This lovely porcelain waste bowl was manufactured by Meissen. The decoration is so ornate! What is striking to me is the juxtaposition of the delicate porcelain and the busy imagery. What can you tell me about the symbols at play here? Curator: Note how these figures are rendered in a style known as "chinoiserie." Consider the West's fascination with a romanticized and often inaccurate vision of the East. The bird, the floral motifs – they all contribute to a visual narrative meant to evoke a sense of exoticism and luxury. Do you see how these symbols create a dialogue between cultures, even if a misinformed one? Editor: It's like a story being told through objects! It makes me wonder about the power that these repeated images held. Curator: Precisely! Visual memory and continuity are powerful forces. I'm glad you see that too.