Vase with red borders c. 1925

Editor: Here we have the "Vase with Red Borders," made around 1925 by the Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur. It's crafted from ceramic, and what immediately strikes me is its elegance. It feels both simple and refined. What do you see in this piece, beyond the obvious beauty of the design? Curator: It’s interesting that you describe it as both simple and refined. This piece speaks volumes about the era it was created in; an era still healing from World War I with a focus on optimism about the future. The lines, both the form of the vase and the decorative ones, carry a coded language. Editor: Coded language? How so? Curator: Well, consider the clean, geometric style of the red lines against the pure white porcelain. The art deco movement sought to strip away excessive ornamentation, in an effort to appeal to ordinary folk. Are they merely decorative, or are they symbols? Reminders of something we no longer have an understanding of. What do they evoke for you? Editor: I see…maybe a sense of order or structure, which would make sense after a chaotic period like the war? I hadn’t thought of them as symbols before. I like that interpretation. Curator: Exactly! Think about the vessel itself too. Vases hold things; they preserve. Perhaps this vase is, in its way, an attempt to preserve a sense of hope, order, and beauty in a rapidly changing world. The artists were searching for continuity. Editor: That's given me a completely different perspective on something I initially saw as simply beautiful. Now I see it carries much greater emotional weight. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It’s those hidden languages that make art so fascinating, don’t you think?