Kan met deksel van blauw beschilderde faience c. 1753 - 1771

Curator: The work before us is a faience can with a lid, dating back to around 1753-1771. This lovely piece of earthenware comes to us from 't Fortuyn. What’s your immediate impression of it? Editor: Well, besides that it would look stunning filled with cream on my breakfast table? It whispers "rococo," doesn't it? Playful, a touch decadent, and definitely not afraid of a flourish. That blue is like a whispered secret, too. Curator: Precisely! The rococo style shines through in its delicate curves and the asymmetrical floral designs rendered in that cobalt blue against the bright tin-glazed white. These blues are not simple decoration. Blue, historically, signifies the celestial, truth, and faithfulness, making everyday objects like this elevated signifiers. Editor: So, serving your morning milk was actually an act steeped in philosophical symbolism? I love it! Though, I must admit, my first thought wasn't celestial truth, more like... country chic with a side of whimsy. But now you've given me the symbolic heft of the cobalt hue I find myself thinking the object exudes a nostalgic reverence. Curator: Both can be true! What appears light-hearted often carries layers of cultural significance. Note the handle and spout – see the serpentine "S" shape that embodies that rococo fascination with dynamism and movement? Editor: Absolutely, like a little dance frozen in ceramic! And it seems, also a visual sign of progress from its more blockish forebears. I get a sense that there is a movement away from tradition and towards progress and refinement in style, but also perhaps, within Dutch culture at that time. Curator: A keen insight. It reflects not just evolving artistic tastes but a broader cultural shift toward ornamentation and sophisticated pleasures in the everyday. It's fascinating how cultural and aspirational trends shape even our simplest tools, right? Editor: Fascinating indeed! From simple cream-bearer to blue beacon of a society's aspirations... and still quite fabulous on a breakfast table! Thanks for bringing this to life, I'll never look at ceramic the same way again.