Soup Plate 1812 - 1837

Editor: So, this "Soup Plate" made between 1812 and 1837 by James and Ralph Clews…it's so much more than a dish, isn’t it? There’s this whole symbolic landscape crammed onto its surface. What do you see in it, beyond just a pretty decorative plate? Curator: I see a powerful statement of nascent American identity, constructed through imagery and deeply intertwined with its own myths. The inclusion of state names around the border acts as a symbolic embrace, unifying diverse regions within a shared visual language. Note the allegorical figures flanking what appears to be the White House—'America' and 'Independence', if you will—personifications of foundational ideals. What resonates most with you about their presence? Editor: Well, it’s the overtness of the symbolism. You have the women personifying ideas right next to…nuts and flowers. It's trying so hard to say something, but what about who actually uses it? Curator: Precisely! Who *uses* it and *how*. Tableware of this kind, accessible to a burgeoning middle class, performed a vital role. Everyday objects became vehicles for conveying a shared history, propagating national values, even while serving mundane purposes. The plate is a microcosm, reflecting both grand aspirations and domestic realities. Are there details that particularly strike you? Editor: The image of the White House does seem pretty central. And it is kind of…idealized, not just a building, but a symbol. Curator: Exactly. This isn’t merely documentation, but *cultural* memory, a narrative being built one artifact at a time. Editor: So it's not just a soup plate; it's a little propaganda machine for nation-building? I hadn't thought of it that way before! Curator: In a way, yes. Visual objects transmit ideologies—in plain sight. This has made me hungry to think further on other commonplace forms that reveal nationhood narratives in American decorative arts.