Herinneringsbord bij de verloving van prinses Juliana en Bernhard van Lippe-Biesterfeld, 8 september 1936 1936

Curator: Here we have a delightful piece of earthenware: a commemorative plate from 1936 titled "Herinneringsbord bij de verloving van prinses Juliana en Bernhard van Lippe-Biesterfeld, 8 september 1936," made by De Porceleijne Fles. Editor: Oh, it's so sweetly earnest! That classic blue and white... Makes me think of cozy kitchens and proper announcements. Sort of feels like a flowery telegram declaring, "They're getting hitched!" Curator: Precisely! The symbolism is rather overt, isn't it? The central basket brimming with flowers representing fertility and new beginnings is framed by the initials "J" and "B" entwined with hearts around the border, announcing their union. Editor: Those simple repeating motifs are really grounding, almost hypnotic, reinforcing that very Victorian sense of order. But look at the flowers – they're not realistically rendered; they’re more symbolic, dreamy… suggesting more than just the obvious 'love and happiness.' Curator: That stylized approach reflects the ongoing influence of Dutch Golden Age design principles. Even in the 20th century, we see a deep connection to heritage—a visual assertion of stability through tradition, even as the world was changing rapidly. This plate whispers of continuity, promising stability amidst uncertainty. Editor: Yet there's a handmade quality, an innocence about the imperfection in the painting. Like a hopeful folk song. This earthenware feels very humble, not at all presumptuous despite the Royal subject matter, and I think it becomes almost accessible this way. You want to grab it, like holding on to joy, you know? Curator: Indeed. The tempera finish is vulnerable as well, unlike high-gloss modern ceramics—its ephemerality quietly mirrors life’s own transience, so that love may become more tangible even as its presence on display slowly diminishes into dust, fading away by slow degrees… Editor: Hmm. Maybe that is what moves me, then. Thank you for bringing this memory object alive with the light that is still within it. Curator: It’s been my pleasure, and may that engagement blossom to you as well.