Kwispedoor, beschilderd met een rivierlandschap met ruïne c. 1774 - 1778

Editor: This lovely piece is called "Kwispedoor, beschilderd met een rivierlandschap met ruïne," dating back to around 1774-1778 and created in Loosdrecht. It's earthenware with a drawing, depicting a landscape. It's such a quaint, almost idyllic scene on such a small scale. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: Well, firstly, it’s the audacity of placing this elaborate river scene, complete with a crumbling ruin – talk about melancholy chic! – onto something as prosaic as… well, a spittoon. Can you imagine? All this rustic romanticism meant for expectorating into! That juxtaposition of high art and, shall we say, bodily function… it tickles me. Editor: I hadn't even thought about it being a spittoon. A bit gross, yes, but also incredibly funny now that you mention it! Is it trying to elevate the mundane or make art accessible in daily life, perhaps? Curator: Precisely! The 18th century was obsessed with this kind of whimsical blurring of boundaries. Also, notice the brown monochrome palette and miniature scale – it evokes the intimacy of a personal keepsake, like a precious memory turned into a vessel for… well, you know. Maybe, it’s less about elevation and more about integration: weaving beauty into every nook of existence, no matter how humble. Editor: It makes me wonder about the owner of such an object. It feels so intimate and yet so... public, almost performative in its design. I love that. Curator: A perfect snapshot of the era, really. This piece makes you wonder about the secret stories whispered into riverbanks, then finding themselves spat into a porcelain landscape. Art can find its way to unexpected places! Editor: I never would have seen the humour without you pointing it out. Thanks!