Cup and saucer c. 1759 - 1771

Editor: So, this porcelain cup and saucer were crafted by the Weesper porseleinfabriek around 1759 to 1771. The delicate floral painting makes it look so precious. What do you make of its Rococo style? Curator: Oh, it whisks me back to powdered wigs and whispers! Don't you just adore how Rococo dares to be frivolous? It's a visual dessert – all swirling curves and pastel dreams. Here, those blooms seem almost to be spilling onto the porcelain, escaping the formal garden. What flowers do you see? Are they local blooms, or from far-flung places? That question of origin tells you something. Editor: I think I see peonies… and maybe some chrysanthemums? Does that tell us anything about where it was made? Curator: Well, porcelain in itself whispers of the East, doesn't it? Though by this time, Europeans had unlocked its secrets, factories like Weesper were all the rage. Notice how they’ve captured the light, almost translucent in those petals. What do you imagine this cup holding? Tea? Coffee? Something stronger, perhaps, for a clandestine meeting? Editor: Hmm, coffee maybe? Something newly fashionable! It is really quite amazing how delicate they could make these items. The flowers are not at all what I think of when someone says 'Dutch art'. Curator: Exactly! This piece reminds us that even amidst grand landscapes and serious portraits, there was always room for a bit of delightful whimsy. These were exciting, turbulent times – sometimes a cup of tea in a beautiful vessel was just what was called for to catch your breath. I do enjoy having a little chuckle and dreaming what secret meetings these things facilitated, the gentle and innocent details hide the complexity of the age and the story these tell with subtle precision is fascinating. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess there is more to discover here. Curator: Absolutely! Art whispers secrets; we just have to listen closely.