Terms and conditions of use
Pair of bottles
(late 17th century)
- Medium
- earthenware
- Measurements
- (1) 15.1 × 7.2 × 7.2 cm
(2) 15.2 × 7.2 × 7.2 cm - Place/s of Execution
- Delft, Holland, the Netherlands
- Accession Number
- 1885B.1-2-D5
- Department
- International Decorative Arts
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Bequest of Arthur Allen, 1968
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited - Gallery location
- Not on display
- About this work
-
This delftware pair of bottles decorated in the style of Chinese Transitional porcelains are actually copy porcelain forms produced in Japan for export to Europe. The ultimate origin of the shape is, however, European. The square bottle form derived from glass bottles carried by Dutch sailors to Japan. Originally intended to carry spirits such as gin, the Dutch had the bottles imitated in porcelain by Japanese potters. The square bottle form eventually entered the Japanese porcelain repertoire, where versions of it were produced for domestic consumption.