Female figure carrying a vessel 1750 - 1799

This small porcelain sculpture of a female figure carrying a vessel was produced by the Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory. Frankenthal was one of many porcelain factories established across Europe in the 18th century, as local rulers sought to emulate the success of China. The factory was founded in 1755 under the patronage of Elector Carl Theodor of Bavaria. The factory made a wide range of decorative and functional objects, often displaying idealized figures of the kind we see here. The sculpture depicts a woman in what was considered traditional or folk costume, balancing a decorative vessel on her head. Figures like these were very popular and were bought as decorations to show wealth and good taste. The question of how we view those figures today is complex. Are they idealised portraits that reflect the patron's wealth and social standing, or do they reflect the real people of the time? In the social history of art, we would use factory records, costume books, and contemporary accounts, to understand the artwork's creation and context, and thus understand how these idealized portraits connect to the cultural history of Europe.