Vase with hexagonal foot (one of a pair) 1885

Editor: Here we have "Vase with hexagonal foot", a porcelain sculpture crafted in 1885 by Crown Derby, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum. The detail is so intricate. What’s striking to me is just how dense and ornamented the piece is. It looks incredibly rich and opulent. What do you see in this vase? Curator: Looking at the means of production and social context helps understand this piece. This vase isn’t simply decorative; it embodies Victorian-era industrialization. The precise, elaborate detail on porcelain speaks to specialized labor processes and a highly structured system of production. Consider also that ceramic and porcelain production had transformed under industrial capitalism, relying on the exploitation of resources and labor to manufacture goods. Editor: So, you're saying its beauty belies a more complicated story of production and labor? Curator: Precisely. The decorative excess characteristic of Art Nouveau pieces isn't just about aesthetics; it's tied to consumption. Think of the social hierarchy being reinforced by who could afford these pieces. Furthermore, the combination of gold, blue, and imitation pearls speaks to Victorian society's complex relationship with luxury and access to materials. Can we separate it from its political and economical background? I'm not so sure. Editor: It’s almost a form of conspicuous consumption rendered in porcelain. I hadn't thought about the societal implications of the materials. Thank you for expanding my view! Curator: Of course! And understanding decorative art objects like this vase, with its labor and resource intensive production, requires we engage with both their materiality and historical context. It also invites questions about consumerism and class structure of the time.