T.A.C. Colenbrander

Tulp C0055

Inventory Number
C0055Size
Coming soonMaterial
EarthenwarePeriod
Art NouveauCountry of Origin
NetherlandsYear Made
c1885Status
availableCondition
Minor Glaze Loss at tip of Lid

Description

Like all of the Colenbrander examples shown in this book, the artist designed both the form and décor of this vase. Stylized and simplified tulips, the Dutch national flower and source of pride, appear three times in cross-section on the belly, while related shapes and colors fill the remaining spaces. the form recalls both the majolica apothecary jars that originated in the Islamic world and elements of traditional asian and Dutch garnitures.

T.A.C. Colenbrander for Rozenburg. Marks: Painted ciphers, den Haag, D, Tulp / Painted. Tulp [inside lid].

Tulp (Tulip) is a beautiful example of T.A.C. Colenbrander's bold fusion of form and decoration. While its rounded mid-section seems to reverse the scooped waist of Renaissance albarelli, there is an undeniable kinship between the forms. Albarelli, however, were generally covered with parchment or leather. The stepped-pyramid lid on this example was called "Turban" by Rozenburg. The decoration, consisting of bilaterally symmetrical floral motifs, provides an excellent example of Colenbrander's ability to create a striking balance between positive and negative spaces. Sketchy brush strokes such as those seen here had been a popular feature of ceramics decoration since the mid-16th century.