Artist: Meissen Porcelain Factory
Date: 1740
Size: 17 x 13 cm
Museum: German Historical Museum (Berlin, Germany)
Technique: Porcelain
As Spanish colonial rule expanded in the Americas, sugarcane began to be produced on plantations using forced labour from local inhabitants. When the population declined due to hardship and disease, the colonial government arranged for the procurement of African slaves. This led to a triangular trade configuration across the Atlantic: arms or textiles were shipped from Europe to Africa; slaves were brought from Africa to the Caribbean or Brazil to work on plantations; and sugar or raw materials were sent from the Americas to Europe.Sugar was a luxury item in Europe until the early 19th century. It was a status symbol, as shown by this Baroque bowl. The African woman illustrates its origin and conditions of production, and the exotic rendering of the woman reveals European notions of dominance.
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