A PAIR OF JAPANESE BLUE AND WHITE ARITA PORCELAIN BOTTLES WITH THE INITIALS OF GOVERNOR-GENERAL JOAN 1700 - 1750

Unknown artist

PorcelainChinese porcelain
24 cm
Price on request

Zebregs & Röell - Fine Art - Antiques

• About the artwork
  Early 18th century
  
  Each with a bulbous body and tapering neck and decorated, in imitation of early Ming style, in underglaze blue with branches of flowering prunus and inside a wreath the initials I:V:H, standing for Joan van Hoorn.
  
  (One restored)
  
  H. 24 cm
  
  Content 2.4 litres
  
  ​
  
  Note:
  
  These bottles exist in various sizes and sometimes have initials of other known or (yet) unknown individuals (See for instance Uit Verre Streken, October 2016, nr. 65 for a bottle with initials L:V:R:, for Lambertus van Riebeeck).
  
  Joan van Hoorn (1653-1711) arrived in Batavia, 12 years old, together with his parents, a bankrupt family but very well connected with the Amsterdam upper-class. From July 1666 till January 1668 Joan, as a thirteen-year-old boy, accompanied his father on a mission to the Emperor of China. Back in Batavia Joan made a swift career in the VOC, not in the least by marrying into the right families. His first marriage in 1691, to Anna Struis, brought him a fortune and the position of Director General and member of the Council of Dutch East India. His second marriage in 1692 was to Susanna van Outhoorn, daughter of Governor-General Willem van Outhoorn, whom he succeeded as Governor-General in 1704. When Susanna died in 1706, Joan married Joanna Maria van Riebeeck, the daughter of his most crucial opponent in the Council and his successor as Governor-General, Abraham van Riebeeck.
  
  Van Hoorn, when Governor-General, was prominent in experimenting with new products for the European market, such as tea, coffee, textiles and ceramics. In 1709 van Hoorn returned to the Netherlands a rich man.
  Another Arita bottle with Joan van Hoorn’s initials is in the collection of the Groninger Museum (Rietlinger gift, 1978. 2635). Jan Veenendaal (personal communication) assumes that Van Hoorn gave many of his colleagues, friends and aquaintances larger or smaller Arita bottles with their initials, either in a wreath or simple circle, according to their position within the hierarchy of the VOC. Many of the still unknown initials therefore possibly belong to acquaintances of Joan van Hoorn.
  
  ​
  
  
• About the artist

  It might happen that an artist or maker is unknown.

  Some works are not to be determined by whom it is made or it is made by (a group of) craftsmen. Examples are statues from the Ancient Time, furniture, mirroirs, or signatures that are not clear or readible but as well some works are not signed at all.

  As well you can find the following description:

  •“Attributed to ….” In their opinion probably a work by the artist, at least in part

  •“Studio of ….” or “Workshop of” In their opinion a work executed in the studio or workshop of the artist, possibly under his supervision

  •“Circle of ….” In their opinion a work of the period of the artist showing his influence, closely associated with the artist but not necessarily his pupil

  •“Style of ….” or “Follower of ….” In their opinion a work executed in the artist’s style but not necessarily by a pupil; may be contemporary or nearly contemporary

  •“Manner of ….” In their opinion a work in the style of the artist but of a later date

  •“After ….” In their opinion a copy (of any date) of a work of the artist

  •“Signed…”, “Dated….” or “Inscribed” In their opinion the work has been signed/dated/inscribed by the artist. The addition of a question mark indicates an element of doubt

  •"With signature ….”, “With date ….”, “With inscription….” or “Bears signature/date/inscription” in their opinion the signature/ date/ inscription has been added by someone other than the artist

Are you interested in buying this artwork?