D2628. Tea Canister

Delft, circa 1710

Marked PAK in blue for Pieter Adriaensz. Kocx, the owner of De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory from 1701 to 1703, or his widow Johanna van der Heul, the owner of the factory from 1703 to 1722

DIMENSIONS
Height: 11.8 cm. (4.6 in.)

NOTE
This tea canister is a refined example of early eighteenth-century Delftware, distinguished by its molded form, dense surface decoration, marked for Pieter Adriaensz. Kocks, owner of De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory in Delft from 1701 until his death in 1703, and subsequently used by his widow, Johanna van der Heul, who managed the factory until 1722.

The canister’s fluted, slightly tapering body reflects an increasing interest among Delft potters in molded forms during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. This fluting not only enhanced the object’s tactile and visual appeal but also allowed potters to articulate light and shadow across the surface, creating a dynamic interplay between form and ornament. The sculptural treatment of the body demonstrates the technical confidence and aesthetic ambition of Delft factories at this moment.

The decoration within the cartouches consists of stylized floral and vegetal motifs derived from Chinese porcelain prototypes of the late Ming and early Qing periods, here reinterpreted with a distinctly European sense of rhythm and symmetry. The surrounding ground is densely filled with scrolling foliage and floral diaper patterns, a compositional strategy that reflects both the desire to emulate imported porcelain and the Delftware tradition of minimizing empty space in order to heighten visual richness.