Kastkom op voet, met veelkleurige voorstelling van potten met bloeiende takken 1895

This earthenware bowl with polychrome decoration was made by Petrus Regout, sometime in the 19th century. It is transfer-printed, a mechanized technique allowing for mass production. You can see how this process enabled the creation of relatively inexpensive objects, bringing decorative arts into middle-class homes. The material itself, earthenware, is a porous type of ceramic. The surface has a soft, chalky feel, and the decoration sits slightly proud of the surface. The repeating floral patterns and vases were first engraved onto a copper plate, then printed onto paper, and finally transferred onto the bowl before firing. Look closely and you can see slight misalignments, tell-tale signs of this industrial process. Regout's factory was among the first to introduce these techniques on the European continent. So, while this bowl may seem like a simple decorative object, it speaks volumes about the rise of industrial capitalism. It shows how new modes of production transformed not only the aesthetics of everyday objects but also their accessibility and affordability.