Dish 1785 - 1799

Curator: Looking at this intricate piece, what leaps to mind? Is it something of a visual poem or does it provoke something else entirely? Editor: It reminds me of delicate spun sugar, almost too beautiful to touch! So light, airy… it has such a joyful feeling! Like spring itself. Curator: Indeed. What we are observing is a porcelain "Dish," a product of the Meissen Manufactory, crafted sometime between 1785 and 1799. It's currently held here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It's astounding! That something so fragile could survive so long. The craftsmanship is just exquisite, each little floral detail in the lattice work… someone really poured their heart into this. It's the sort of beauty designed, ultimately, to uplift, don’t you think? Curator: I do. The Rococo period, which informs this style, was all about luxury, ornamentation, and delight. Such pieces, while decorative, also speak volumes about the socio-economic status of their owners. To commission and own such a piece broadcasts status. It elevates the owner, as much as a visual expression, but socially and even politically. Editor: Yes, but beyond that—imagine serving something from this—fresh fruit, perhaps? There’s a performative aspect to it too. Beauty enhancing a lived moment, then passed down through generations, becoming something more. And, yes, now residing in a museum, giving aesthetic joy to a lot of people! Curator: The history of decorative arts is filled with shifts in taste and function. How pieces such as this became divorced from functional usage and placed under the preservation of cultural and educational institution remains vital to understanding it today. But do we also lose something in the process? Does something so delicately linked to Rococo sensibilities find a new interpretation from a contemporary point of view? Editor: Hmm… Maybe. Perhaps we see not just luxury, but an enduring appeal of the handmade, a tangible link to a slower time. Whatever one finds here, hopefully our words ignite a spark to allow this historical creation a modern presence, allowing it to speak for itself!