Zou het klaren? 1917

Curator: Ah, this unassuming yet compelling piece, titled “Zou het klaren?” which translates to “Will it clear up?” It's a painted ceramic plate created in 1917 and calls the Rijksmuseum home. It is charmingly subtle. Editor: My first impression is...wistful. The blue and white give it a calming effect, even with the implied question. The open landscape promises possibility while also hinting at the hardships of wartime. Curator: Absolutely. It possesses this very particular mood, doesn't it? I mean, here it is 1917, right in the middle of the Great War. But instead of grand battles, we get this very personal, intimate moment depicted on everyday porcelain. And yet you get the sense the question isn't just about the weather. Editor: Precisely! Delftware like this was often produced on a mass scale. Everyday dishes bearing slogans and imagery were ways to unite the domestic sphere with the exterior world of events, while celebrating a cultural tradition through accessible materials. You get these traditional rural images right alongside an implicit recognition of modern conflicts, but always within the confines of useful domestic items. Curator: I find the simplicity quite disarming. Almost child-like, and I do wonder about its use and intended audience back then, a sentimental domestic souvenir? Editor: Given that "De Porceleijne Fles" translates directly into 'The Porcelain Bottle', it could have simply been a commercial object, capitalizing on national pride. That isn’t to take away the genuine artistic achievement of how deftly they used this humble plate to embody something larger, though. The question on the plate might speak for everyone on a broader spectrum. Curator: You know, it makes you consider, what kind of hope did these artists have? This blue and white piece may seem like a small gesture but a statement piece indeed that reminds one of home, land, people. Editor: Definitely. It brings a domestic sense of material context to these large political events; through accessible ceramic, this folk-art piece offered insight and resilience, transforming labor and art into everyday contemplation.