Vase 1685 - 1695

Curator: First impressions – it reminds me of a quiet, contemplative breath. Editor: Exactly! We're looking at a ceramic vase created by Lowys Fictoor sometime between 1685 and 1695. Currently, it resides here at The Met. Curator: Fictoor worked within a complex global landscape shaped by colonialism and trade routes that saw increased artistic exchange between Europe and Asia. When studying decorative arts of this era, particularly ceramics like this piece, it’s critical to understand the complicated ways in which Eastern and Western aesthetics impacted each other. Editor: You can see the influences so clearly in the details. It’s not quite what you’d expect from either tradition, is it? Look at the way he renders the pagoda. So evocative, yet somehow slightly…off-kilter. Curator: Absolutely. The Chinoiserie style was hugely popular during that time, reflecting Europe’s fascination with a romanticized version of the East, yet divorced from authentic cultural context. The presentation can create orientalist views and sanitize centuries of very harsh historical realities, which can promote cultural exchange, but also masks inequality. Editor: Right. It’s this mix of wonder and slight unease that fascinates me. And the palette—simple blacks and whites—creates this sense of distance. It’s pretty formal but feels imaginative at the same time! Curator: The monochrome decoration draws our focus to the carefully delineated landscape and the avian imagery. Floral motifs, too, further enhance the harmony between nature and architectural forms on this ceramic, reinforcing the interconnectedness. Editor: It all blends together so beautifully! So, what are you left pondering after our quick glimpse at this beauty? Curator: What are the ethical implications for contemporary museums to exhibit art like this vase given how entangled their creations were within historic oppression? Editor: And for me, well, I’m left thinking about how longing works, the way artists attempt to catch a culture’s spirit—only to find it shifts, glows, and eludes definitive capture. A gorgeous ceramic elegy.