Delft Pottery
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The actual beginnings of the fine earthenware of this region are clouded until you reach 1614. It was at that time that Claes Janssen Wytmans was given a license to, as the States-General put it, “develop all sorts of Porcelain, decorated and not decorated, nearly like the porcelains which came from far-off lands”. His work was amazing but simply just fine china...not quite so obscure for that day. the Delft fame in after the Dutch had developed trade relations with Japan. This countries influence in Holland’s manufacture began a legacy of fine earthenware that sprang up from Delft. It is rather considered that the early work of Delft china was decorated with cobalt-blue tin enamel after the firing process. The handcraft on such a surface had to be precise and manual to prevent harming the glazed finish. Many hands have touched and refined the work through the ages, esp. up until 1764. Numerous artisans contributed to the earlier Delft’s pottery.
The manufacture of this fine ware had contributed to the employment of over 2000 potters from that region at the peak of the Delft “revolution” in the late 1690’s. This had a manufacturer’s number of about 50 in existence at the time. Over time, especially to the early 19th century, these diminished to around eight. In those early years, there was great wisdom in having the marks and decorations recorded. This had a lot to do with recognizing the authentic Delft work from the counterfeiter’s coming out from the woodwork.
The early Delft pottery was emblazoned with a saturation of color and designs. Whether it was on plates to vases to pitchers, it did not matter the artisan work was incredible. Many works of pottery have mustarded notoriety over the ages but few have the same passion and “fire” as the Delft early period. The inception of Japanese influence catapulted Delft artistry to its rightful place in pottery history. |
