Wandbord van aardewerk met decor van bloemen en bladeren en geschubde velden c. 1910

This ceramic wall plate, decorated with flowers, leaves, and scaled fields, was made by N.V. Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland. The process feels delicate and precise. Look closely, and you’ll see the pale ground showing through layers of decoration. There are no brushstrokes as such, but a feeling of movement and rhythm created by subtle shifts in color. The palette is muted yet playful: faded purples, ochres, greens, and blues. The composition has a floral, organic feel, but the scaled fields, the more rigid, geometric marks, keep the softness in check. The overall effect is whimsical, ornate, but also balanced. It reminds me a little of Gustav Klimt, another artist who was brilliant at finding that sweet spot between representation and abstraction. Both artists were interested in how art could move between naturalism and ornamentation. Ultimately, this plate embraces its function while aspiring to something more.