Cilindervormige vaas met gestileerde liervogels in wit en blauw op geelbruine fond 1902

This cylindrical vase was made with earthenware by Chris van der Hoef sometime in the early 20th century. It’s giving me major Art Deco vibes. The patterns on this vase are so precise; it's like each bird feather, rendered in swooping lines and spirals, has been meticulously planned. The brown and blue palette is lovely, a kind of muted elegance that doesn’t shout but whispers class. I love how the artist has simplified the forms, each mark is a purposeful abstraction. Focusing on the base of the vase, the way the birds fan out reminds me of feathers in a headdress, a real sense of volume. It’s really graphic and flat but the subtle variations in the glaze create an illusion of depth. Der Hoef was a contemporary of Gustav Klimt; you can see their shared appreciation for intricate detail. But where Klimt goes all-out baroque, this vase stays cool, calm and collected.