Garden vases Palace Het Loo, Paleis Het Loo

Location:	Palace Het Loo
Client:	Palace Het Loo
Project type:	art & design

For the gardens of Palace Het Loo, 45 special Delft Blue garden vases have been made by Koninklijke Tichelaar. The vases are made according to an example of three still existing originals, which were made in the 17th century for the first inhabitants of Paleis Het Loo, King Stadholder Willem III and Queen Mary. Placing these vases in the palace gardens is the culmination of garden renovation. The project came about thanks to an extra contribution from the BankGiro Lottery, made possible by the many Dutch people who play a role in the culture lottery of the Netherlands. The project worked closely with the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology, who made the scans of the preserved garden vases for the molds using the most modern techniques. The production and the handpainting of the vases were carried out by Koninklijke Tichelaar, using the high-quality 17th-century tin glazing technique. Innovation and craft have been brought together in this project.

Delftware vases were very exclusive eye-catchers in baroque gardens in the 17th century; they were filled with expensive exotic plants, such as orange trees and pineapple plants. It was Queen Mary who laid the foundation for Delft Blue as a national icon. Unfortunately, only shards remain of the original vases at Het Loo. Scattered throughout Europe, three original models of royal vases have been identified, which served as an example for the manufacture of vases for the palace gardens: in Schloss Favorite in Baden-Württemberg, in Erddig Hall in Wales and in France. In 2010, this last vase was purchased by Palace Het Loo.

The vases are in the palace gardens during the summer season (June to October). Throughout the year an explanation of the project can be seen in the East Wing of the palace (open from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm). This presentation, 'Blauw & Bont, Delft blue in the palace gardens', illustrates with film images the production process of the vases. In addition, the story is told about the love of Queen Mary for Delft blue and the gardens. Click here for the movie