Articles

Against the predominantly blue palette of a maritime scene on Delftware, a small passage of color can have a remarkable effect. While ships and their surroundings were generally rendered in cobalt blue on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tiles, plates, and plaques, a small number of surviving examples feature flags picked out in color. What prompted Delft…

A small paper label preserved inside a Delft faience bust provides the starting point for the story of its former owner, the Danish collector Ole Olsen (1863–1943) (main Image). Dating from the early twentieth century, the label depicts an intriguing figure: a gentleman carefully examining an object through a magnifying glass. A collectors label always…

Main Image: Barber Bowl, Delft, circa 1700, Aronson Antiquairs (inv. no. 25093) Genesis 41:14 recounts how Joseph, summoned from prison to appear before the Pharaoh, first shaved and changed into clean garments before entering the royal court. Although brief, the passage illustrates that shaving has long been associated with cleanliness, respectability, and social identity. Throughout…

"Time and tide wait for no man," an old English proverb reminds us. While the passage of time and the forces of nature remain beyond human control, mankind has long sought ways to measure and understand its relentless progression. From the great public clocks that governed civic life to the increasingly sophisticated timepieces of the…

Main Image: Drawing, Anonymous, Interior of a Coffee House in London, Britain, circa 1690, Collection of the British Museum (inv. no 162021001) Coffee: few commodities are as widespread or as deeply woven into daily life. For many people, the day begins with a cup of coffee, accompanied by the vessels and utensils designed for its…