Schotel met decoratie gele plomp 1897 - 1898

This large plate, made by the Royal Copenhagen porcelain factory, is a celebration of the yellow water lily. It’s made of hard-paste porcelain, a strong, non-porous ceramic fired at high temperatures. This allows for intricate details and vibrant colors, which were painted by hand. The factory was known for its meticulous underglaze decoration technique, which gave the design a soft, blurred effect. The factory produced porcelain that was desirable to consumers, and the naturalistic design connects to a wider social context of increasing urbanization and industrialization, where nature became something to be consumed. Despite the industrial processes employed by Royal Copenhagen, the painting of the lily pads references older traditions of botanical art and illustration. So, next time you look at decorative art like this, consider the value of the labor involved and the artistry with which natural themes were brought into everyday life.