Cup c. 19th century

This cup was made by the Meissen Porcelain Factory in Germany, a country with a long history of decorative art production. Meissen became the first European factory to produce porcelain, which had previously been a closely guarded secret of Chinese manufacturers. This particular cup features a delicate floral design in green. The choice of porcelain and the floral design, while seemingly innocuous, speak to a broader cultural fascination with the East. European elites collected these wares as a means to signal their worldliness and sophistication. The very existence of the Meissen factory represents a shift in global power dynamics, as European artisans sought to emulate and ultimately surpass the achievements of their Asian counterparts. Historians use a wide range of resources, from trade records to personal correspondence, to reconstruct the social and economic context in which objects like this cup were produced and consumed. In doing so, we gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between art, commerce, and cultural exchange.