Vase (one of a set of three) 1756 - 1766

Editor: So, this exquisite piece is "Vase (one of a set of three)" crafted by the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory between 1756 and 1766. It’s porcelain, and it resides at The Met. I’m really struck by the...well, almost excessive ornamentation. What's your perspective on this type of ceramic ware? Curator: From a materialist viewpoint, let's consider the conditions that enabled such lavish objects. Porcelain, during that era, was highly prized. The process of its creation involved complex labour, from mining raw materials to the skilled artisans who molded, painted, and fired each vase. It’s crucial to think of porcelain less as 'art' and more as the embodiment of European aristocratic desire achieved through trade routes and specialized manufactories, no? Editor: Trade routes… I hadn't considered the global aspect of a teacup, only its functionality. The amount of handiwork that goes into each piece—each floral detail and handle—suggests this wasn't merely mass-produced. But what about its artistic merits, beyond just the socioeconomic forces behind it? Curator: I think focusing on labor clarifies how Rococo ornament itself becomes a signifier. The extravagance you perceive isn’t just aesthetic excess. It’s a deliberate display of wealth. Imagine the kiln firings, the guild controls…each decision and step highlights that accessing, mastering, and distributing porcelain equaled wielding social power. Does examining the process change your view of the object? Editor: Definitely. Thinking about each layer of production, and who profited from it, definitely makes me see it in a new light. It's much more complicated than "pretty vase". Thank you for elaborating on the complex history behind this vase. Curator: It reveals art history’s potential to encompass not just beauty, but also materiality and labor conditions, influencing taste and artistic merit. The vase reveals a complex interplay of technique, cultural demand, and commercial enterprise.