Salt cellar with the arms of the Swellengrebel family c. 1725 - 1749

This salt cellar, bearing the arms of the Swellengrebel family, is made of porcelain. We can only guess about its origins, though it is safe to assume that it was made to order for a wealthy family; salt was a precious commodity in the past, so presenting it in a vessel like this would have been quite a status statement. Its octagonal base and the lobed rim of the bowl are formed from white porcelain, carefully cast, fired, and glazed. The blue floral decoration on its sides and the family crest inside are painted by hand. Consider the labor involved in the making of an object like this. From mining the raw materials, mixing and firing the clay, skilled ceramicists forming the object, and a decorator who carefully added the family crest, each step required expertise. This reminds us that, even at a domestic scale, objects like this are the result of immense systems of production. Ultimately, this salt cellar serves as a reminder that the story of any object is so much more than its surface appearance. By looking closely at materials, making, and context, we can understand an artwork's full meaning.