A history of 400 years of Dutch ceramics, from the famous Delft, past the colourful Maastricht pottery and the flamboyant Art Nouveau, to the latest Dutch design creations Blue Delft, Maastricht earthenware, Gouda pottery and Dutch Design: for centuries, ceramics from the Netherlands have enjoyed worldwide popularity. Imitation has been one key to success, but inventiveness and sensitivity to consumer demand have been still more important. Initially an imitation of Chinese porcelain, Dutch delftware became in the 17th century a popular export product in its own right. Petrus Regout brought English specialists to Maastricht to help him imitate the popular British creamware with its transfer-printed designs. From the mid-19th century, he was one of the greatest producers, serving a global market. Around 1900, Dutch designers developed their own variant of international art nouveau. Shown at the world's fairs of the period, their innovative 'vernieuwingsaardewerk' attracted lively interest outside the Netherlands. In today's Dutch Design, the marriage of traditional craft skills to the potential of new industrial technology generates inventive and playful designs. Products travel the world, but so do the designers and their conceptual approach. Made in Holland shows how the Netherlands has become a world player in the ceramics field. AUTHOR: Karin Gaillard is Curator European Ceramics at Ceramics Museum Pricessehof, Leeuwarden, friesland, the Netherlands.
