Vaas van hard aardewerk, versierd met irissen in kleuren 1900 - 1910

This vase, decorated with colorful irises, was created by N.V. Haagsche Plateelfabriek Rozenburg using a hard earthenware. It has a smooth texture and a delicate palette of blues and greens. I can imagine the artist carefully applying the paint, one stroke at a time, to create the subtle gradations of color in the flower petals. What’s the challenge of painting on a curved surface like this? How do you keep the image from warping? I'm curious about the relationship between the artist's hand and the vase itself. What kind of brush did they use? How did the texture of the earthenware affect the way the paint flowed? There's something very intimate about this piece, like a private conversation between the artist and the vase. It reminds me of the way painters, like Philip Guston, engage with everyday objects, transforming them into something strange and beautiful. We’re all in dialogue with each other, all the time.