T.A.C. Colenbrander

Kaleidoscope C0285

Inventory Number
C0285Size
15 ¼”WMaterial
EarthenwarePeriod
Art NouveauCountry of Origin
NetherlandsYear Made
c1887Status
AvailableCondition
Perfect

Description

T.A.C. Colenbrander for Rozenburg. This charger is a prime example of the most alluring and salient feature of Colenbrander’s work: the ambiguity of his ornamentation. It floods the viewer’s perception with kaleidoscopic imagery, simultaneously evoking dissected plants, female anatomy, insect parts, and, to the contemporary eye, prescient hints at a Rorschach blot. An exceptional earthenware charger in the manner of T.A.C. Colenbrander, the visionary designer who served as artistic director of Rozenburg from 1884 to 1889. Rozenburg's decors were largely inspired by Indonesian batik design, brilliantly interpreted and re-imagined by Colenbrander. The date of manufacture, 1893, is indicated by the letter K which appears before the model number on the reverse side. Rozenburg Plateelfabriek was established in 1883 at The Hague. The stork mark that appears on the bottom of this charger was put into use in 1893 (possibly for use on items to be exhibited at the World^s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893). The onset of world war may have payed a part in the dissolution of the firm in 1916. Marks: Painted manufacturer's cipher, Den Haag K441