•D2530. Blue and White Figural Flower Basket

Delft, circa 1695

Numbered 2 3 in blue and attributed to Lambertus van Eenhoorn, the owner of De Metaale Pot (The Metal Pot) factory from 1691 until 1721, or his widow Margaretha Teckmann from 1721 to 1724

Modeled as a standing lady wearing a blue dress decorated with floral branches in white, cinched with a belt and adorned with a sash, holding with her right hand a basket on her head, her head slightly turned to the left, her gaze directed into the distance, and a small basket in her left hand, and standing on a pedestal featuring a bouquet of flowers framed by scrollwork ornaments on each side.

DIMENSIONS
Height: 43.5 cm. (17.1 in.)

PROVENANCE
Sandford Orcas Manor, Dorset, by family descent

NOTE
According to inventories from 1694-1702, the ‘Noordoostgalderij’ (Northeast Gallery) in Mary’s quarters at Honselaarsdijk contained “Nog vier vrouwtjes met bennetjes [mandjes] op het hooft” (Four more little women with baskets on their heads). Images of women carrying baskets filled with flowers and fruits are also found in French engravings from the seventeenth century. These figures, dressed in loosely draped garments with flower-filled baskets on their heads, reflect the styles of Jean Lepautre and Jean Bérain. The depiction of a girl standing in contrapposto, with a dress featuring cascading folds, likely draws inspiration from classical sculpture, a motif that reappeared during the Italian Renaissance in both painting and the glazed terracotta works of Marco Della Robbia (1468 – after 1532?) and Benedetto Buglioni (1459/60-1521).

These sculptures, known as Dovizia, are traditionally interpreted as symbols of abundance, though they could also be seen as wishes for prosperity for a welcoming household. While the Delft earthenware figure shares a similar pose to those found in Italian pottery, the context differs, placing greater emphasis on flowers. Instead of a cornucopia overflowing with fruit, the Delft figure holds a flower wreath in her right hand.

The motif of women carrying a flower vase or a tray on their heads with one hand is common in the works of Daniel Marot. His designs for gueridons, such as the triad for the antechamber at Het Loo Palace, have similar forms. Comparable designs are seen in the candlesticks by Adam Loofs (1645-1710), the goldsmith for William III, housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (inv. nos. BK-1966-10 and BK-2005-20).

SIMILAR EXAMPLES
A similar figural flower basket marked LVE and numbered 2 3 as the present example is in the collection of National Museum Palace Het Loo, Apeldoorn (inv. no. RL 2592). Two of the same model, and also marked for LVE are in the collection of the Kunstmuseum, The Hague (inv. nos. 1059661). A fourth one but with a larger openwork flower basket, also marked LVE with numerals 2 3 is in the collection of Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, Brussels (inv. no. v. 600). A pair of similar figural flower holders, but marked for Adrianus Kocx, is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv.no. BK-1956-10a,b). There are slight differences in model with the flower holders marked for Lambertus van Eenhoorn, for example the figures have longer hair, their gaze is upward and instead of the flower wreath they are holding a branch in their left hand.