Herinneringsbord Boerenoorlog: mannen in de heuvels 1899 - 1925

Curator: Let's take a look at this piece called "Herinneringsbord Boerenoorlog: mannen in de heuvels", or "Boer War Commemorative Plate: Men in the Hills". It was produced by N.V. Société Céramique between 1899 and 1925. Editor: Wow, it’s…intense for a plate. The monochromatic scene, so immediate and visceral, it almost jumps off the ceramic surface. Kind of unsettling to think of eating off something that depicts such violence. Curator: Well, such commemorative ceramics were typical for the time. They aimed to capture and relay historical events, particularly for home display, instilling pride or perhaps subtly, propaganda. This particular one shows a scene from the Second Boer War, with men engaged in battle amongst the hills. Editor: War as dinnerware. It's a little morbid, but I see what you mean about the pride aspect. All these running figures, with raised weapons under that ominous sky…they're meant to be seen as heroic, determined. Even those who have fallen are posed quite deliberately in ways that convey sacrifice more than simply defeat. Curator: Exactly. There’s also the symbolism of stoneware itself. Ceramics like this would have held value, embodying the continuity of tradition alongside the weighty subject matter. The deliberate reproduction and memorialization within the very material create meaning beyond the scene. Editor: Makes you think, doesn't it? We flatten wars and big events onto our timelines now, scrolling right on by. It’s like, imagine future civilizations analyzing our meme collections for clues to understand us. Are we leaving the right traces? Curator: A worthy question to consider! Ceramics like this stand as tangible, carefully manufactured items imbued with memory, quite a contrast to today's ephemeral media. Editor: A good point. It’s odd how putting violence on a plate can both celebrate and critique it—and perhaps start some tough conversations about what's worth remembering. Curator: Indeed. Food for thought, served literally!