Collection Highlights: Cooper Hewitt Porcelain for the Table

Inspired by porcelain imported from East Asia, this selection documents the output of some of Europe’s most prestigious and influential porcelain manufacturers from the 18th and 19th centuries. Painted in colorful enamels and elaborate gilding, these wares display patterns that reference East Asian aesthetics combined with European motifs such as landscapes, harbor scenes, flora, and fauna, both real and imagined. Of note are tea, coffee, and lemonade services, as well as tureens, coolers, butter dishes, salad bowls, and dessert dishes that highlight European gastronomical customs.