Liberty cup and saucer 1876

Editor: This is the "Liberty cup and saucer" crafted in 1876 by Union Porcelain Works. I find its almost austere color palette softened by the figural elements and, of course, the gold trim. How would you interpret a work like this? Curator: It's fascinating how this cup and saucer set encapsulates the contradictions inherent in America's Gilded Age. On one hand, you have this aspiration toward classical ideals, seen in the Wedgwood-inspired bas-relief figures which evokes a sense of timelessness and order, almost aristocratic. Yet, that aesthetic is achieved by the hands of largely immigrant labor within a burgeoning industrial capitalist system which fostered huge disparities in wealth. How do you think those visual contradictions and aesthetic choices played out? Editor: Well, the cup feels very European in its aesthetic but was intended to celebrate American Liberty. Was this perhaps intended to create some form of dialogue, to either emulate European culture, while forging a new identity for America? Curator: Exactly! The neo-classical figures evoke enlightenment ideals of liberty and reason and, on the other hand, we also see corn stalks-- a nod to America's agricultural wealth and frontier identity. And, look closer – notice how a figure, likely intended to symbolize freedom, supports the drinker in using the cup. We have to examine who was, and still is, considered "free" within such systems of power, who gets to enjoy this alleged "liberty," and at whose expense? The porcelain itself signifies luxury, making this more than a simple cup; it's a statement, a reflection of societal aspirations and blind spots. Editor: I never thought about porcelain speaking to these sociopolitical elements! Curator: Porcelain, like many materials, always has a story to tell beyond the aesthetic surface. Engaging with those histories lets us address the important questions that still resonate today.