Plate (part of a set) 1759 - 1793

This tin-glazed earthenware plate was made by De Porceleyne Bijl, a Dutch Delftware workshop. Its blue and white scene depicts figures tending to a garden. Delftware emerged in the 17th century, mirroring the Dutch Golden Age. It was a period of immense trade and colonial expansion, which facilitated the rise of a wealthy merchant class that was eager to display their affluence. The fashion for collecting Chinese porcelain fueled a desire for locally produced ceramics. However, Delftware, while inspired by Chinese designs, developed its own unique style which captured Dutch life and landscapes. Consider how gender and class dynamics are subtly portrayed here. Is it the man on his knees in the garden, who seems to be doing all of the physical labor, and the woman who strolls with the flowers, and how might this scene reflect the social norms of the time? While seemingly a simple domestic scene, this plate encapsulates the intersection of trade, class, and artistic expression in Dutch history. It prompts us to reflect on the stories objects can tell about a society's values and hierarchies.