Jar with chrysanthemums and rocks 1695 - 1710

This blue-and-white porcelain jar, decorated with chrysanthemums and rocks, was made by De Drie Vergulde Astonnenkens. It’s a fascinating example of global trade and artistic exchange, showing how Dutch artisans adapted Chinese porcelain styles for a European market. The imagery of chrysanthemums and rocks, common in Chinese art, was reinterpreted through a Dutch lens. This jar reflects the economic and cultural power of the Dutch East India Company during the 17th and 18th centuries. The company imported porcelain from China, but also fostered local production in Delft, where many potters tried to imitate Chinese styles. This jar exemplifies the complex interplay between imitation, adaptation, and innovation in the context of global trade. It comments on the social structures of its own time. It is neither conservative nor progressive. To fully understand this jar, we might consult historical records of the Dutch East India Company, studies of Delftware production, and analyses of cross-cultural artistic exchange. Only by considering these resources can we appreciate the jar as a product of its time and place, shaped by economic forces, cultural encounters, and artistic traditions.