The "Time for Tea" exhibition mentioned in a previous post will be opening this week at the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands (from 6 September 2014 to 31 May 2015).
It is worth dedicating this exhibit another post to briefly look at some of the inspirations that it may provide. The exhibition is indeed a journey through different cultures and the history of this beverage, and starts in China, where tea was considered a medicine.
The event then looks at Japan where the tea ceremony was originated and at the importance of serving tea using exquisite bowls and cups. In the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company brought tea and related ceramics to the Netherlands.
"Time for Tea" could therefore be considered as a journey through the colours, shapes and materials that characterised specific countries: China is represented by the simple pottery of the Buddhists and the famous blue and white porcelain mainly associated with the elite of the Ming Dynasty; the Japanese style is characterised instead by simplicity and geometric shapes.
The Netherlands and England imported ceramics from the Far East, but also manufactured a huge variety of pieces and large teapots, creating both industrial and traditional designs.
Finding inspiration among the displays is quite easy as there is something for everybody: from the terracotta coloured pieces to delicate porcelain cups; from teapots shaped like flowers to more modernist and minimalist designs.
Though some of the pieces included in the exhibition are borrowed from other institutions, most of the objects featured come from the museum collection that boasts a rich variety of Dutch Art Nouveau and Art Deco ceramics from the period 1880-1930.
Apart from delicate tea cups, unique teapots and complete dinnerware sets, the event also includes tea commercials and posters, and a Japanese tea house (the audio tour for visitors features the voice of Martine Bijl who used to feature on the Pickwick tea adverts in the '70s).
While the main aim of this event is providing historical background and discovering the rich tea culture in the Netherlands, creative minds will definitely find among the teapots, bowls, cups and tea caddies inspirations for new and exciting designs inspired by this age-old beverage.
Image credits for this post
1. and 9. Photography by HeleenHaijtema TryntsjeNauta
2. English teapots from the 18th and 19th century
Ceramics Museum Princessehof and the Ottema-Kingma Foundation
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
3. Tea caddies
Photo: Martin Rijpstra
Left to right:
Tea caddy with silver lid and decor of flower and leaf motifs, 1735 – 1750
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden; Collection Province of Friesland
Caddy with lid and polychrome chinoiserie decor, 1725 – 1730
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden, Loan Service for Cultural Heritage
Jar with lid with blue and white chinoiserie decor, 1690
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden, Loan Service for Cultural Heritage
Tea caddy with lid with decoration of flowering branches, 1740
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden; The Loan Ottema-Kingma Foundation
Tea caddy with lid with relief decoration of bird on branch, 1715, Böttger, Johann Friedrich
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden; Municipal collection
Caddy with cap with rectangular shape and decoration of landscape and flower, 1700 – 1725
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden; Collection Province of Friesland
Caddy with lid, in form of cauliflower, 1760 – 1770
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden; The Loan Ottema-Kingma Foundation
4. Teapots from Yixing, China, 18th and 19th century
Ceramics Museum Princessehof and the Ottema-Kingma Foundation
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
5. Teapots Ceramica Franco Pozzi and Makio Hasuike, Italy, circa 1973
Ceramics Museum Princessehof and the Ottema-Kingma Foundation
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
6. Service "Thea", circa 1933
NV The Sphinx v / h Petrus Regout & Co, Maastricht, design Edmond Bellefroid
Ceramics Museum Princessehof, Loan Service for Cultural Heritage
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
7. Chinese export porcelain, 18th century
Ceramics Museum Princessehof and the Ottema-Kingma Foundation
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
8. 19th century teapots by Beate Reinheimer, Hanneke Verheij and Petra van Heesbeen, 20th century
Ceramics Museum Princessehof
Photo: Erik and Petra Hesmerg
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Related articles
