Spaghetti Eaters 1755 - 1770

Editor: Here we have "Spaghetti Eaters," a porcelain sculpture from around 1755-1770 by the Real Fabrica de Buen Retiro. The figures are grouped together, seemingly frozen in a moment of consumption. I'm curious about your take – what stands out to you? Curator: Looking at "Spaghetti Eaters" through a materialist lens, the porcelain itself becomes a focal point. Consider the labor involved in its creation. This wasn't a readily available material. Where did the raw materials originate? What were the social conditions for the artisans producing these delicate objects? The shift to porcelain signaled particular shifts in both production and consumption that shouldn't be understated. Editor: So, beyond the scene depicted, you're drawn to the socio-economic context of its production? Curator: Precisely! This isn’t just a charming Rococo scene, it’s an insight into trade, labor practices, and even class structures of the period. Who could afford such decorative items, and what did their patronage mean for the artisans involved? Was there specialized knowledge in the design or the porcelain body and glaze? Also, "spaghetti" as we think of it likely didn't exist then; this might be other long noodles and is therefore a symbolic snapshot into contemporary ingredients as a depiction of sustenance in Europe. Editor: That’s fascinating. It completely changes my perspective on what I'm looking at! Instead of just seeing a quaint scene, I now consider the entire network that made it possible. Curator: It prompts us to question the object’s role as both a decorative piece and a commodity within a complex web of economic relationships, even across different localities or countries. Editor: Thanks for your insights; it’s made me think about art in an entirely different way, especially around considering that it isn’t separate from society or human consumption. Curator: Agreed; that examination will provide us with a deeper and nuanced understanding.