Herinneringsbord zilveren regeringsjubileum van koningin Wilhelmina 1923

This ceramic plate was made by N.V. Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland to commemorate Queen Wilhelmina's silver jubilee. I love the naive quality to it, the way the oranges are like little dots of sun, all clustered together. It's so clear and direct, like folk art. Look closely, and you’ll see the surface is quite smooth, the colors are flat and contained. It’s decoration, pure and simple. There's a formality in the overall design, a sort of graphic quality that's really charming. The lettering is so carefully done, and that little orange tree! It’s a symbol, an emblem, a celebration all rolled into one. It reminds me a little bit of some of the Delftware I've seen, the way they use simple colors and clear outlines. There's a sense of tradition, of something passed down through generations. But then again, maybe it's just a plate, and I'm reading too much into it. Either way, it makes me smile.