Onderschotel van porselein 1774 - 1784

This porcelain saucer was made in Loosdrecht, the Netherlands, and is decorated with a delicate purple scene. The appeal of porcelain lies in its refined qualities: its smooth, white surface, its ability to be molded into intricate forms, and the crispness of its decoration. This particular piece showcases these qualities, highlighting the level of skill involved in both the making and the painting. The process begins with the careful preparation of the clay, followed by shaping on a wheel or in a mold. The piece is then fired at high temperature, and decorated before a final firing to seal the design. The decoration - a figure walking with their dog, is carefully painted by hand, indicating the level of craftsmanship and time involved in its production. The presence of this saucer speaks to the rise of a consumer society, where even relatively humble households could aspire to own beautiful, decorative objects. By appreciating its materiality and the human labor involved, we can see how ceramics like these have been historically undervalued, and how the history of craft is tied to the history of class.