Tankard 1725 - 1735

Curator: This impressive porcelain tankard, crafted by the Meissen Manufactory between 1725 and 1735, demonstrates the heights of Baroque decorative art. Its silver-gilt mount and handle accentuate the detailed scene painted on the porcelain body. Editor: It immediately strikes me as a rather serious drinking vessel. The monochrome decoration lends it a somber air, despite its clear opulence. It seems almost too elaborate for casual use. Curator: I would agree, I see this object speaking to the dynamics of social hierarchies in early 18th-century Europe, in this time period, elite European porcelain became a vessel for intercultural trade with non-European regions of the world through merchant networks like the Dutch East India company. Editor: Interesting, considering how each pictorial vignette is carefully framed. What is the main scene showing us? Curator: This particular scene features what seems to be diplomats negotiating trade and perhaps brokering the peace, however from the perspective of today this looks to be nothing more than colonialism dressed up in pretty garb, though there were other popular Baroque styles as seen in the Rococo and picturesque that weren't specifically about violent exploitation. Editor: I can definitely read that complexity into it, with a close visual analysis. The formal, balanced composition speaks to a desired sense of order, while the subject matter suggests tensions beneath the surface. The controlled palette of gray, white, and silver-gilt serves to emphasize the delicate painting and adds an element of sophistication, this is all a nice distraction of course, considering where we now stand with global and international politics, even if we put globalized capital in the equation this type of piece does seem as though the craftsmanship wasn't truly considerate or ethical. Curator: Well, even with our critical take, the Tankard remains an exceptional object for examining artistic skill within a network of political relations of power. Its historical context underscores how art and power intertwine. Editor: Absolutely. And looking closely, the intricate details offer so much for close visual analysis, regardless of one’s political persuasion or the tankard's murky implications.