Vase with the ‘Tweeling’ (Twin) pattern c. 1922

This vase, with the 'Tweeling' pattern, was made by N.V. Plateelbakkerij Ram, and it really has a graphic quality, like a drawing. The colours are contained, not blending, they keep their own space. Looking at the surface, you can see where the hand of the artist has been. The lines aren’t perfectly smooth, they wobble a little, which brings a sense of warmth, kind of like a friendly hug! Notice the shapes; they almost look like abstracted flowers or leaves in purples, greens and browns, all outlined with a sketchy black, like a coloring book. It makes you wonder what came first, the lines or the colours? It's kind of like the work of Phillip Guston, someone who embraced a playful sense of line. It shows how art is this constant conversation. We’re all just borrowing and lending ideas, aren’t we? It’s never about one ‘right’ answer.