Sugar Sifter Spoon 1750 - 1765

This Sugar Sifter Spoon, made of soft-paste porcelain, was created at the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres. The legacy of Sèvres is deeply entwined with the opulence of the French monarchy and aristocracy. But let's consider the spoon not merely as an object of refined taste, but as a symbol of a global trade in sugar, built on the backs of enslaved people in the Caribbean and Brazil. As you look at it, consider how the sweetness it once delivered was paid for in human suffering. While it represents the height of European artistry, its purpose speaks to the complex ethics of consumption. Its delicate design, with meticulously placed perforations and gilded accents, offers a glimpse into a world of privilege. It reminds us of the power dynamics inherent in the seemingly innocuous rituals of dining.