Cup and saucer 1778 - 1799

Curator: Editor: Here we have a porcelain cup and saucer, made sometime between 1778 and 1799, fabricated by Rue Thiroux at the Queen's Factory. The delicate design gives it a certain charm, almost whimsical. What can you tell me about it? Curator: What strikes me immediately is not just the delicate ornamentation, but the system of production that birthed this object. Porcelain from the Queen's Factory was not merely decorative; it was a symbol of economic power and social aspiration. We must ask: who was making this, under what conditions, and for whom was it intended? Editor: So, the cup and saucer speak to larger socioeconomic structures of the time? Curator: Precisely. Consider the division of labor involved in creating such an item: the mining of clay, the skilled artisans crafting the porcelain, the decorators applying the designs. Each stage represents a different stratum of society and varying levels of compensation for their labor. How do these distinct types of making all come together? Editor: I see, it makes you think about all the people involved in its creation that you wouldn't necessarily think of otherwise. And this was the Queen's Factory? What was that? Curator: A means of producing luxury goods for the elite, which supported the French economy. These pieces allowed the monarchy and aristocracy to flaunt wealth, class, and sophistication to the rest of Europe. But how was this labor funded? Were the means justified by the opulent ends? Editor: That’s a lot to think about. So, a simple cup and saucer become an illustration of complex social and economic dynamics. I’ll never look at decorative art the same way again! Curator: Exactly, and hopefully, this object will make you think twice about every single beautiful material you engage with. It's been very helpful to bounce ideas off of you about this interesting work.