AN 18TH CENTURY DELFT VASE MOUNTED AS A LAMP

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AN 18TH CENTURY DELFT VASE MOUNTED AS A LAMP

Holland, Circa 1720–1740.  

Dimensions:
Height: 42 cm / 16 9/16 Inches 
Width: 19 cm / 7 1/2 Inches 
Depth: 19 cm / 7 1/2 Inches 

Decorated in the classic blue and white palette with an elegant Chinoiserie scene with birds and flowers, it is a fine example of the imaginative decorative arts produced in the Netherlands during the height of Delftware production. 

Chinoiserie decoration became immensely fashionable in Europe during the late 17th and 18th Centuries, inspired by the arrival of Chinese porcelain through expanding global trade. Rather than faithfully depicting Chinese life, Delft painters created romanticised interpretations of East Asian culture, drawing upon imported porcelain, European engravings and their own artistic imagination. These continuous painted scenes, which gracefully wrap around the body of the vase, reflect the European fascination with the perceived luxury, refinement and mystery of the East. 

The vase displays the distinctive Dutch interpretation of these exotic motifs, combining fine hand-painted decoration with the crisp tin-glazed finish for which Delftware is celebrated.

 Today, it serves as both an important decorative object and a practical lighting piece, equally suited to traditional and contemporary interiors.

Professionally wired and PAT tested to UK standards, ready for use.