Designs for Two Lidded Vases, Plate 1 from: 'Schöne und auf die neueste Facon inventierte Gefäße und Krüge' 1745 - 1755

Curator: Look at this image! We're gazing at "Designs for Two Lidded Vases," a print from a book titled "'Schöne und auf die neueste Facon inventierte Gefäße und Krüge.'" Created between 1745 and 1755 by Jeremias Wachsmuth, it is currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Wow. My initial reaction? Over-the-top flamboyance! I'm seeing what looks like an engraved page teeming with so many flourishes. Are we sure the purpose wasn’t just pure visual delight and not, say, holding anything? Curator: Absolutely! It's quintessential Rococo—that wild, ornate style that dominated decorative arts. But, you know, these designs weren't meant to be merely decorative. Wachsmuth was essentially publishing design blueprints for artisans. These vases, or versions thereof, were intended to be realized, crafted, and placed within the homes of the wealthy elite. Editor: So, kind of like the 18th-century version of an IKEA catalog... only exponentially fancier and definitely out of my price range. Thinking about it now, seeing it as a functional drawing brings out all these other feelings about how power, access, and privilege are displayed materially. Curator: Precisely. Rococo as a style became synonymous with the aristocracy. But it's interesting how design books like this actually democratized artistic knowledge, allowing artisans and workshops greater access to current fashionable tastes and techniques. The etching enables this kind of dissemination. Think about the labor necessary to translate these kinds of curves and swerves into an object you can actually use to store things! Editor: Absolutely, this is so meticulous! There are sea monsters emerging from leafy vines! The skill required must have been incredible. I'm really feeling that sense of craftsmanship here, despite it being just a print. I appreciate the skill. Curator: Right? Wachsmuth isn’t just showing us potential vases; he's showcasing a certain kind of virtuosity and ingenuity of the period. By thinking through how designs circulate, how prints influence practice, how social classes compete and define themselves in terms of visual luxury - it feels as though it continues influencing culture in so many complex ways. Editor: For sure, it is something I'll think more deeply about and will look for as I observe contemporary design! It gives one much more appreciation and respect for historical, social, and cultural influences.