Schotel met veelkleurig landschap c. 1759 - 1771

This is a porcelain plate decorated with a polychrome landscape, made by the Weesper porseleinfabriek. Imagine the world in which this piece was created. Porcelain, once a jealously guarded secret of the East, became a symbol of European artistry and industry. While the scene is pleasant, it also marks a cultural and economic shift as Europe began to produce goods that once came from afar. How does the landscape depicted on this plate reflect European ideals of beauty and ownership of land? In what ways were these views and values imposed on other cultures through trade and colonialism? Think about the hands that shaped the clay, mixed the paints, and fired the kiln. The plate may seem like a simple object, but it embodies complex histories of labor, trade, and cultural exchange.