Pair of plates 1745 - 1775

Editor: Here we have a pair of plates, dating from somewhere between 1745 and 1775, created at the Veuve Perrin Factory. These ceramic sculptures, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, strike me as remarkably delicate and almost whimsical. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, I’m transported. These aren't just plates, are they? They're whispers of a powdered wig era, where beauty was currency and the dinner table was a stage. See the pierced rim? A little flirtatious, wouldn't you say? Lets light peek through. The floral decorations too are a dance, stylized and lovely and impossibly balanced. Editor: The rim does catch my eye. Almost looks like lace! Were plates like this for show or for everyday use? Curator: A little of both, perhaps! They definitely signify status and refined taste. Imagine serving strawberries on these… a little decadence never hurt anyone! More importantly though, for me anyway, its the artist's hand. A very free and intuitive sort. Not clinical, or mass produced. Feels really intimate somehow. Don't you get that sense? Editor: I do see that now, especially looking at the detailing on the flowers. It feels like the artist had a personal connection to the work. Almost as if they were plucked straight from their garden. Curator: Exactly! And you see those little imperfections? That's not a flaw. That's proof of life. This thing's survived centuries and whispers to us with stories and feelings about beauty! These plates are poetry made practical! Editor: That’s a really interesting perspective. I guess I was so focused on the details, I missed the broader narrative. It definitely has me seeing the beauty in new ways. Curator: Isn't it fantastic? Just proves that really 'seeing' things with curiosity and passion is so worth the effort, doesn't it?