Bord van blauw en wit Delfts aardewerk, versierd met planten en vogels en een grommende wolf of vos in het midden c. 1700 - 1759

Editor: Here we have a blue and white Delftware plate, crafted sometime between 1700 and 1759. It features delicate flora and fauna, surrounding a central image of what appears to be a fox or wolf. What strikes me is how everyday imagery is elevated through careful artisanal craft. What do you make of it? Curator: It's crucial to recognize Delftware not simply as 'decorative art' but as a product deeply embedded in global trade networks. Its production signifies the Dutch appropriation of Chinese porcelain techniques, a deliberate act of economic and cultural competition. This plate represents the means of early globalization: the exchange of materials, techniques, and consumer desires. What does this use of earthenware, instead of true porcelain, suggest to you? Editor: It hints at resourcefulness. Maybe even aspiration? A desire to participate in luxury consumption without access to the original materials. Curator: Precisely. The very act of mimicking Chinese porcelain using local earthenware highlights a complex interplay of class, labor, and value. Think of the factory workers reproducing these designs: what was their relationship to this burgeoning global market? This plate isn't just an object; it's a document of material history, and also tells a story of social ambition through carefully employed skills in decorative presentation. Editor: So, by looking at the material and the process, we can uncover the socioeconomic context of its creation and consumption. I hadn't considered that. Curator: Exactly. The appeal of decorative techniques for consumer purposes overshadows the amount of skill and labor poured into its construction and design. I will think of Delftware differently from now on!