Teapot with vertical borders c. 1765 - 1770

Curator: Here we have a ceramic teapot crafted by Porzellanmanufaktur Frankenthal around 1765 to 1770. The Rijksmuseum houses this elegant piece of decorative art. Editor: It's beautiful, but feels quite structured compared to some other Rococo pieces I’ve seen. The vertical bands give it a certain order. What do you make of the composition? Curator: Indeed. Consider how the vertical orientation of the stripes acts as a counterpoint to the rotund form. The gilding emphasizes these structural lines, almost compartmentalizing the blue floral designs. Do you observe any tension created by this interplay? Editor: Yes, I do. The florals want to be free-flowing and organic, but they're visually contained by those strong vertical lines. The gold trim really does act as a rigid framework. It's like the artist is playing with contrasting ideas. Curator: Precisely. The tension arises from this very contrast. The colour palette is equally calculated. White separates while gold binds and amplifies each floral burst. Can we agree the design does less to complement the teapot’s function and form? Editor: Yes, it really seems like function follows form in this design. Curator: The stripes act like the stave on sheet music that serves merely as the background on which the actual performance ensues. Editor: Thinking about it that way does change my interpretation of it. Now, seeing how these visual elements create tension and how each decorative decision serves a compositional purpose makes the design so compelling.