Kan en bekken van porselein

About this artwork

height 24.5 cm

Art Historical Context

**Kan en Bekken van Porselein (Jug and Basin of Porcelain)** *Manufacture Oud-Loosdrecht, 1784* Step into the world of 18th Dutch porcelain with this charming *Kan en Bekken van Porselein*, a jug and basin set produced by the esteemed Manufacture Oud-Loosdrecht Founded in 1774 near Amsterdam, this factory was one of the Netherlands' pioneering centers for hard-paste porcelain, rivaling giants like Meissen andèvres. Dating to 1784, this piece exemplifies the factory's ambition to blend functionality with elegance during the late Rococo and emerging Neoclassical eras, when porcelain became a coveted household luxury symbolizing wealth and taste. Crafted with precise dimensions—a basin of 8.5 cm diameter and an overall height of 24.5 cm—this intimate set likely served for personal toilette or serving, its petite scale perfect for affluent homes. The "painting technique" medium highlights the factory's mastery of overglaze enameling, where vibrant colors and intricate motifs were fired onto the glossy porcelain surface, ensuring durability and luster. Oud-Loosdrecht pieces often drew from Chinese export wares and local floral designs, reflecting the era's global trade influences and the Dutch Golden Age's lingering ceramic innovation. This artifact whispers of Enlightenment-era refinement, where everyday objects doubled as canvases for artistry. A testament to Dutch industrial ingenuity, it invites you to appreciate how porcelain bridged utility and opulence in Georgian-era Europe.