Reclamefoto met serviezen en keukengerei van de firma C. Read & Co., Baltimore, Maryland 1920 - 1930

Curator: This is a photographic advertisement from between 1920 and 1930 by Stadler Photographing Company for C. Read & Co. of Baltimore, Maryland. It showcases their ceramic tableware through watercolor paintings. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by its formality and the way it attempts to make mundane items seem precious. It almost feels like gazing at a jeweler's display, each set neatly presented as its own little treasure. There's a restrained elegance to the arrangements. Curator: Absolutely. The composition emphasizes standardization. Each dinner set has its place. It echoes the booming industry in the United States post-World War I when companies began promoting the ideal of domestic perfection to generate sales. Note that it is also reproducible and consumable. Editor: I can see that, and in some ways, that attempt to present domestic bliss makes me a bit uneasy. Perhaps that’s just the dark backdrop clashing with the fragile tableware—or me reading too much into vintage pottery. What’s your take on that? Curator: What you describe points to an increasing effort by retailers to not only meet consumers' needs but also to manufacture desire. The company's intention might not be inherently sinister, but they certainly have contributed to consumer culture. Editor: I like that – it's subtle seduction. The soft watercolor lends a gentle dreaminess, so the reality of chipped china is smoothed over with pastel fantasies. It’s smart! Curator: Yes, watercolors create an atmosphere of refinement but the arrangement creates a scene of almost unsettling neatness. The individualistic touch of handmade pottery, now geared for mass production, fits into a standardized lifestyle. Editor: You know, looking at it this way really makes you question whether the promise of these lovely sets was liberation or just another set of rules. Thanks for the insight. Curator: And thank you for showing that the photograph contains contradictions between domestic ideal and commodity spectacle.