Vase from a garniture of five vases
ca. 1710
Designed for display atop a kast or on a chimneypiece, the concept for these impressive vases was inspired by Chinese Ming altar vases collected by the Dutch. They are an exotic blend of forms and decoration-their shapes come from Chinese vases and jars, but the overall dense textural patterns evoke another Asian decorative style and rare commodity: the famous shawls of Kashmir, India.
"Carryers of the World" was novelist Daniel Defoe's description of the Dutch, who had developed a prosperous maritime trade in the second half of the seventeenth century. The homes of prosperous Dutch burghers, the great merchants of Europe at this time, prominently featured kasten, a form of tall cupboard, on which Chinese porcelain, Delftware, metalwork or glassware was proudly displayed. These cabinets served as storage for valuable household items such as silverware and linens.
Delftware, tin-glazed earthenware
16 3/4 in.
7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm), diameter
Margaret E. Fuller Purchase Fund
54.81.3
Photo: Paul Macapia
