Tankard 1735 - 1745

This porcelain tankard was produced by the Meissen Manufactory in the 18th century. Look closely at the scene. The stylized figures, the birds in flight, and the blossoming branches are motifs that reflect the European fascination with Chinoiserie—a romanticized, often inaccurate, interpretation of Chinese art and culture. Consider how these motifs evolved. Birds, for example, have symbolized freedom, the soul, and divine messengers across cultures from ancient Egypt to Renaissance Europe. Even the cherry blossom, celebrated in Japanese art, has roots in ancient Chinese symbolism representing love and beauty. This reinterpretation highlights our human desire to connect with the ‘foreign’, the ‘exotic’, and how, in the process of cultural exchange, symbols are never static. Instead, they transform, accumulating layers of meaning. This tankard captures a moment in this ongoing, cyclical progression of symbols, demonstrating our collective cultural memory.