Theeservies van steengoed met zoutglazuur 1901

This stoneware tea service with salt glaze was made by Joseph Mendes da Costa, who lived between 1863 and 1939. Just imagine the artist in his studio, molding and shaping the clay, coaxing these forms into being. I love the combination of functionality and playfulness. Look at the quirky dark blue figures dancing around the curves of the teapot and sugar bowl. They look almost like doodles in a sketchbook. The glaze is thin, allowing the texture of the stoneware to peek through, adding a sense of earthy warmth to the set. Da Costa’s bold approach to form reminds me of some other ceramicists, like George Ohr. Making pottery is such a hands-on process, a conversation between the artist and the material. Every touch, every stroke leaves its mark. I can only imagine what thoughts and conversations happened around this tea set. It really makes you wonder about who might have used it and the stories it might have told.