Wandbord met het patroon bloemkorf 1892

Curator: This decorative wall plate, entitled "Wandbord met het patroon bloemkorf", which translates to "Wall plate with the flower basket pattern", was crafted around 1892. The earthenware was produced by N.V. Haagsche Plateelfabriek Rozenburg, embodying the aesthetics of Art Nouveau. Editor: Wow, my initial gut feeling is swirling floral drama! The colors - those deep blues, pale greens, and earth tones - create this intense, almost brooding, garden effect. Like something out of a fairytale where nature's about to talk. Curator: It’s interesting you use the term "drama". Because when we situate Rozenburg’s work within the broader context of Dutch decorative arts in the late 19th century, one cannot help but observe that the rigid societal norms of the period had an influence on their artistic explorations. Editor: So you're saying that within this decorative ceramic piece we can maybe sense a rebellion? A "saying no to stuffy tradition" with stylized petals and looping vines? I like that, it’s kind of poetic. Curator: Indeed, Art Nouveau provided a language to counter that prevalent strict formalism. These floral motifs became subversive ways to engage with gender and social roles. It provided space for imagining nature’s agency. Editor: Agency, interesting point. Look at the asymmetry of the flower patterns. This definitely has a chaotic energy! It is not a pristine, predictable botanical study. I also find how the central form on the dish looks a bit like water stains – you almost don't know if the artists meant that to happen, which adds to the charm. Curator: Absolutely. Consider also the functionality of it—earthenware designed as decorative hanging wall art. Rozenburg effectively merged artistic expression with the utilitarian in ways that engaged contemporary discourse around art, craft and gendered labour. Editor: Right. Now, standing here, I appreciate the plate's muted rebellion so much more. All those tangled blooms hint at hidden desires. Thank you for that new frame, seeing it in its original context brings an interesting perspective. Curator: Thank you, together we discovered exciting perspectives while shedding new light on social narratives woven into earthenware surfaces!