Non Temporary

Location:	Makkum
Designer:	Hella Jongerius
Client:	Koninklijke Tichelaar B.V.
Project type:	art & design
Product:	glazed earthenware

We asked Hella Jongerius to come up with a design for tableware reflecting the majolica plates that are such an important part of our company history. Designed for everyday use, these roughly decorated plates were produced on a large scale until the end of the nineteenth century. They disappeared from the range when the company began to focus on making earthenware using the faience technique. In contrast to faience, and for financial reasons, only the front of Dutch majolica was covered with the more expensive white tin glazing, and on top of that there was often a simple painting. The reverse of the earthenware was treated with a transparent and cheaper lead glazing.

In her design Hella Jongerius emphasises the transition between transparent and white by having the tableware immersed partly in the tin glaze. By doing this, she not only focuses attention on the production process by making it part of the decoration, but reveals the colour of the Friesian clay for the first time in centuries. In addition to the white version, there is also a decorated version in this series, inspired by simple rural motifs and painted outlines inspired by the majolica archives. The result is a series of attractive products with a contemporary allusion to history and special use of traditional skills.