Kopje met afbeelding van Van Speijk after 1831

This small cup, decorated with an image of Van Speijk, was made anonymously from earthenware. The cup is an example of transferware, where a design is printed on paper and then transferred onto the ceramic surface before firing. This technique allowed for mass production of detailed imagery, like the naval scenes and the heroic portrait, making it accessible to a wider audience. Transferware democratized design, bringing detailed decoration into everyday life. The designs often had a political bent, such as the depiction of a famous naval officer, which may have fostered a sense of national pride and identity. The original object was made using industrial processes to be widely consumed, and in doing so, it elevated the status of craft, and blurred the boundaries between art and utilitarian object. Understanding the materials, processes, and social context is crucial to appreciating the full depth of the work.