Schotel, deel van een servies, beschilderd met vogel en violen 1913

Curator: Oh, wow, it has such a delicate sort of beauty! I love the colors, so pastel-y. What do we know about it? Editor: We're looking at a ceramic plate crafted by the N.V. Haagsche Plateelfabriek Rozenburg in 1913. Its full title is "Schotel, deel van een servies, beschilderd met vogel en violen," which translates to "Dish, part of a service, painted with bird and violets." Curator: Yes! The bird seems so lively, like it's about to flit right off the edge of the plate! I'm thinking, it has a touch of impasto, no? Editor: It certainly does. The raised details bring a unique texture to the design. Given its creation during the early 20th century, it's also hard not to read its presentation through the lens of societal constraints placed on women artists at that time, finding expression through 'domestic' craft. What were the power dynamics, if any, involved in determining which aesthetic and subject matter could make the work more successful? Curator: You're making me consider whether such a quaint tableau had revolutionary implications. Maybe it offered a haven from the clamorous world outside? You know, somewhere safe, but then one asks whether this supposed safety came at the expense of agency, if the delicate violet only serves to decorate while more overt gestures of self-assertion go missing! Editor: Absolutely. The violets themselves are symbolic, often associated with modesty and faithfulness, characteristics historically imposed upon women. And Rozenburg was certainly part of the Arts and Crafts movement. The workshop developed this ceramic type, which was known to incorporate painting. Curator: I can totally picture having tea from this, nestled away on a quiet afternoon... imagining little dramas playing out amongst the blossoms and birds! Thanks, this was interesting to talk about. Editor: My pleasure. It makes you think, doesn't it, how objects carry layers of stories waiting to be told and reinterpreted.