Melkkan van steengoed met zoutglazuur 1901

Curator: Welcome. We’re looking at a stoneware milk pot with salt glaze. It was created in 1901 by Joseph Mendes da Costa, here in the Netherlands. Editor: It has this humble, utilitarian feel. I’m reminded of rural domesticity – of early mornings, perhaps, and simple, essential rituals. Curator: Exactly. Consider the texture – the salt glaze finish results in that wonderfully uneven, almost speckled surface. There’s also a rhythmic quality created through the circular patterns. Editor: And what strikes me about the patterning is its dual function. It enhances the pot's aesthetic appeal but also speaks to broader historical narratives about class and labour during the late 19th century in the Netherlands. The detailed yet repetitive designs suggest not just decoration but possibly coded representations of workers and industry during a time of economic change. How was craftwork evolving then? Who was producing these wares, and for whom? Curator: Well, technically and aesthetically, the stoneware composition offered robustness, while the muted palette is in tune with late 19th-century aesthetic movements favoring understated elegance. It’s a very interesting interplay of form and function. I think the use of circular forms – not just on the body, but also repeated in the handles – ties everything together into a self-contained and elegant unity. Editor: Yet, consider the limitations. By viewing solely its form, are we at risk of neutering the pot from its potent social meanings and its complex production circumstances? Did this stoneware milk pot cater to a particular demographic? What statements, if any, did that demographic have about themselves via the ownership and the usage of it? We mustn't turn it solely into a precious artifact devoid of its former functional self, you see. Curator: I see your point about avoiding art historical objectification! For me, this object does encourage closer contemplation about the synthesis of practical artistry. Editor: Indeed. I believe viewing such stoneware invites questioning not only the work itself but our contemporary world. What everyday items embody such artistic ambition today and express narratives beyond surface charm?