Schaaltje met platte voet en lage wand zonder oren c. 1590 - 1596

This humble bowl was crafted by an anonymous hand. Its form, though simple, speaks volumes. The bowl, a universal symbol of nourishment and offering, echoes through millennia of human culture. Consider the libation vessels of ancient Greece, used to pour offerings to the gods; or the chalices of the Christian tradition, vessels of sacred wine. Here, the bowl's unadorned nature strips it back to its primal function. It is a container, a receiver, evoking a sense of nurturing. The circular form, unbroken and continuous, suggests the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, a motif deeply ingrained in our collective unconscious. This bowl reminds us that even the simplest objects carry within them a weight of history. Though time and culture may alter its appearance, the bowl remains an enduring testament to our shared human experience, resonating with the echoes of countless meals and rituals.