Coffeepot 1720 - 1775

This coffeepot was made from porcelain in the early eighteenth century by the Meissen Manufactory in Germany. The floral design in delicate brushstrokes imitates East Asian porcelain, which was highly prized at the time. This coffeepot speaks to the economic and cultural history of Europe. The Meissen factory was the first to discover the secret of hard-paste porcelain outside of China. As a result, European imitations of Chinese designs became a symbol of wealth and status. It also speaks to Europe’s colonial past. European traders controlled the market for valuable goods like tea, coffee, and porcelain, creating new social rituals around their consumption. Institutions like the Meissen Manufactory catered to the tastes of an aristocratic clientele. Understanding art like this coffeepot requires a combination of art historical techniques and archival research into the histories of trade, manufacture, and social custom.