Oval Dish 1800 - 1900

This is an anonymous drawing of an oval dish, made using pencil and watercolor. It seems pretty straightforward: a design for a piece of tableware, and not an especially elaborate one at that. But consider the world implied by this simple sketch. Someone, somewhere, had to produce the materials, refine the clay, mix the glaze, and form it by hand or with the assistance of a machine. This was then fired, perhaps decorated, and eventually brought to market. Even a relatively modest object like this one represents a whole system of making and distribution. The fine pencil lines and delicate washes point to an aspiration for beauty, but also to a system of production dependent on skilled labor and the distribution of goods to consumers. Next time you're setting the table, think of this drawing, and how even the simplest objects are evidence of complex social and economic realities.