Den vaderlant ghetrouwe c. 1918

This earthenware plate was made in 1918 by De Porceleijne Fles, a pottery manufactory in Delft. The blue decoration on a white ground depicts a tjalk, a traditional Dutch barge, moored at a quay. The text reads "Den vaderlant ghetrouwe" meaning "Loyal to the Fatherland". The scene, frozen in blue and white, evokes the complicated position of the Netherlands during the First World War. Though officially neutral, the Netherlands was surrounded by warring countries, and its people experienced severe economic hardship. This plate, made in a recognisably historicising Delftware style, suggests a nostalgic yearning for an imagined past of national unity. The sentiment is particularly poignant given the social unrest and political divisions that existed in the Netherlands at this time. Understanding the cultural and political context of this plate requires a careful investigation of historical sources, including newspapers, political pamphlets, and company records. This analysis allows us to understand the public role of art and the social conditions that shaped artistic production.