Cylindrical bottle vase with panel decoration with flower sprays c. 1680 - 1720

This cylindrical bottle vase, decorated with flower sprays, was made anonymously with earthenware. The white ceramic is covered in blue decorations, achieved by applying cobalt oxide to the surface before firing. This is a classic example of Delftware, made in imitation of Chinese porcelain, but it speaks to a history of global trade and labor. The form was probably achieved using a mold, a method of production which allowed for the precise replication of shapes. Then, a painter would have applied the decoration by hand, making each vase unique, yet fundamentally similar. The pressure of consumerism increased the demand for Delftware, relying on skilled labor to satisfy the demand. Ultimately, this vase embodies the fusion of mass production and handcraft, reflecting the complex social dynamics of 17th-century Dutch society, and how the intense pressures of global trade could translate into an object of great beauty.