Ceramic dishes, the production of which began in the Netherlands in the early sixteenth century, following the example of Italian masters, became widely popular fashion items a hundred years later. The success of the Delft masters was ensured by imitating the shapes and painting motifs of coveted but very expensive Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Blue-and-white ceramics, embellished with cobalt underglaze painting, emerged as the most characteristic and widespread expression of Delft craftsmanship. In addition to imitating Oriental porcelain, local motifs were also used on ceramics. Thus, we see delicate and picturesque Dutch landscapes with churches and windmills, cheerful scenes from everyday life, and moralising biblical motifs and mythological characters. The gem of the collection is a rare example of the work of Frederik van Frijtom, Delft’s most famous master.

Although Delft ceramics originated as the imitation of unattainable Chinese porcelain, it developed not only into an extraordinary phenomenon in Dutch applied art, but also into one of the most exciting forms of European ceramics. The decorative nature and complexity of Delft paintings, together with the diverse forms of the dishes, make this art form one of the most striking expressions of the Baroque style in ceramic art. The exhibition of the private collection in the Mikkel Museum provides a comprehensive overview of the factory and master craftsmen who worked in Delft for more than two centuries.

Curators: Heikki Pauts and Aleksandra Murre
Exhibition design: Mae Kivilo
Graphic design: Kätlin Tischler-Süld