JVV 0174
The Netherlands, 1660-1680
The dish has a wide-spreading flange and is painted in blue with a flower vase with two flowers on a ground within a double circle. An insect flies in the sky. The flange is decorated with flowers and leaves. Three stilt marks, which are characteristic for majolica, are visible in the centre.
Dimensions: diameter 31,5 cm / 12.40 in.
Similar examples
An almost identical majolica dish was excavated in Amsterdam from a cesspit from the third quarter of the seventeenth century at 21 Zwanenburgerstraat (Gawronski, pp. 243, nr. 761, 323). During the excavation at the site of the Hart pottery in Delft, a misfire of a comparable dish with this decor was discovered (pp. 162-163). See for similar dishes Van den Akker pp. 60-61.
Explanatory note
The decor of a vase with two flowers is based on floral decorations on Chinese porcelain from the period of the last Ming emperor Chongzhen (1628-1644). In the second half of the seventeenth century it was frequently painted on Dutch tin-glazed earthenware: on majolica dishes and porringers, and on faience plates and lobed dishes. Such decors were manufactured in many production centres.
Literature
M. van den Akker, Fries aardewerk. Majolica - faience - kerfsnee. Harlinger aardewerk museum. Collectie Minze van den Akker, Harlingen 2007
J. Gawronski (ed.), Amsterdam Ceramics. A city’s history and an archaeological ceramics catalogue 1175-2011, Amsterdam 2012
K. Kievit (et al), Meer dan blauw. More than blue. Topstukken uit Museum Prinsenhof Delft. Masterpieces from Museum Prinsenhof Delft, Delft 2015
