'Cabbage' plate
Theo Colenbrander (1841 - 1930), N.V. Haagsche Plateelbakkerij Rozenburg, The Hague, 1886
earthenware,
The Mesdag Collection, The Hague
This decorative plate is one of the finest objects in the museum’s collection of ceramics. It was made by Theo Colenbrander, who worked as a designer at the Rozenburg delftware factory from 1884 to 1889.
Colenbrander’s decorative earthenware caught the eye the instant it came onto the market. With their bright colours and abstract forms his designs were truly innovative. He usually gave his decorations names that referenced natural motifs, such as ‘Peacock’, ‘Tulip’ or, as here, ‘Cabbage.’