Dish on foot with bouquets and flower sprays c. 1839

This porcelain dish on a foot, decorated with bouquets and flower sprays, was made by Fabriek Dominique Denuelle. The creation of this delicate object involved a complex interplay of material, process, and skill. Porcelain itself is born of a transformative firing, a high-stakes gamble with earth, water, and fire. Notice the intricate openwork between the bowl and base, a feat of ceramic engineering, as the clay would need to be carefully carved before firing, and then retain its shape in the kiln. The floral motifs, rendered in polychrome enamels, add another layer of artistry. Each tiny brushstroke, each carefully chosen hue, speaks to the hand of the decorator, the piece would be fired again at a lower temperature to fix the enamel decoration. These kinds of objects exemplify how the decorative arts were central to the formation of industrial production, combining artistry, chemistry, and labor in a single object.