Figure of a woman 1785 - 1799

Curator: Oh, she’s captivating. A little porcelain daydream, almost…a figure frozen in a perpetual dance. Editor: This "Figure of a Woman", crafted by the Meissen Manufactory between 1785 and 1799, exemplifies the Rococo style through its intricate ceramic form and decorative-art sensibilities. The process of firing the porcelain to achieve such delicate features and a glossy finish speaks to the advanced industrial processes of the time. It's fascinating. Curator: Yes, "fascinating" is one word! To me, she whispers stories. I see sunlight filtering through leaves, the rustle of silk, the stolen glance over a fan. There's an airy lightness to her pose, a defiance of gravity. Editor: Note, however, that this piece isn’t just whimsical; the labor that went into its production is vital to its essence. The artisans at Meissen – anonymous in many ways – who spent hours, perhaps days, molding, painting, and firing this figure were embedded in a very specific system of labor and manufacture. Curator: True, though her anonymous creators give her a quality of “every woman” in a certain historical fantasy sense. Look at the black and grey floral pattern, like whispers of secrets blooming across her dress. The way she’s holding up her skirt hints at both modesty and… perhaps a touch of coquetry? Editor: These floral designs are hardly accidental. Rococo often presented the commodification of nature, reflecting broader societal changes and consumption patterns. Also, let's not overlook the implications of porcelain itself – once a symbol of ultimate luxury, made accessible through mass production, albeit at the expense of intense labor. Curator: You know, it is quite moving to think that a woman long since gone has passed on the light in her soul into this delicate statue. It seems the weight of this statue has more in it than just material substance. Editor: Indeed. Material things like this Meissen figure embody more than the sum of their parts – they're evidence of production, of artistry, of social context. Next time you are getting into the airy quality, pause to remember all of that history pressed into a lovely pose and floral print.