SHALINI MITRA
The place where the painter spent his entire life, Delft is also famous for its earthenware and pottery.
When Delft potters became acquainted with the imported Chinese porcelain, they began manufacturing Delftware with designs based on these patterns
Shopping, I guess, is one of the best ways to feel the real pulse of a place. Not only do you come across the things peculiar and special to that place but you also come to know the traditions and artistry behind those things. From Holland, you should not return without a piece of Delft Blue pottery. A typically Dutch souvenir, Delft earthenware can be seen and bought anywhere in Holland — right from the shops at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam to the factory of its birthplace in Delft.
I had to resist the temptation to buy the Royal Blue porcelain piece right at the airport as Delft was on my itinerary. Upon reaching Delft, which is just two km inland from The Hague, the administrative capital of Holland, I found that besides the blue pottery, this little town has a lot more to offer to its visitors.
Proud ties
A fine example of a Dutch city, Delft is proud of its historic ties with the Dutch royal house. The Nieuwe Kerk, the slender tower of which shoots up almost 109 metres, accommodates the royal crypts. Its rather uninspiring interior also contains the burial vaults of the Dutch royal family. The mausoleum of William of Orange (1533-1584), the founder father of the Netherlands, is displayed as he was the first to be buried in the church after being assassinated by Balthazar Gerards in his residence, known as the Prinsenhof. If you visit Het Prinsenhof, you can still see the bullet holes in the wall where he was killed. Prinsenhof also houses Delft’s municipal art collection (a good group of works including paintings by Aertsen and Honthorst). The sturdily built yet slightly crooked tower of the Oude Kerk has been determining the townscape of Delft since 1246. Its set of bells, known as the “the Boudon” weighs nine tons and is rung only on special occasions.
Delft is the town where Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was born and spent most of his life. Vermeer’s many masterpieces have spread all over the world, yet the painter lived and worked in Delft throughout his life. The city’s streets and people inspired the artist’s unparalleled paintings. Not much is known about Vermeer’s life, but the air of mystery fans the flame of interest. Large cubes containing information on the artist’s life and work are scattered throughout the city centre, each placed near a landmark related in some way to the painter. Incidentally, the city centre is a beautifully preserved historic place with canals and their centuries-old canal-side houses, courts of charming almshouses, narrow walkways and a marketplace with its splendid city hall.
Along the characteristic canals of Delft, you find the Armamentarium (army museum) which was built as an arms depot in the 17th century. This monument is now the scene of an arsenal of military objects and their related stories — from old field maps to heavy tanks and from military prints to uniforms, from regimental colours to a collection of wonderfully decorated firearms from the Golden Age.
The Royal Blue factory tour
And now was the turn to visit the Royal Delft Porcelain factory for which the town is famous all over the world. Needless to say that I had eagerly and impatiently waited for it since the time of my landing in Amsterdam. Awaiting in the factory were a painting demonstration, a behind-the-scenes look at the production process, a tour of the company museum featuring antique Delftware, and a stop at the showroom, where the distinctive blue-and-white Delftware could be purchased. The factory tour tells a fascinating history of the Delftware. In the 17th century, dozens of small potteries arose in Delft in buildings which formerly accommodated breweries. Delft was one of the home ports of the Dutch East India Company. About the year 1602 the first blue Chinese porcelain came to Holland as a result of the trade with China. This porcelain was called “kraak-porcelain” because the first porcelain that was traded on the Dutch market came from Portuguese ships that were captured by the Hollanders. When Delft potters became acquainted with the imported Chinese porcelain, they began manufacturing Delftware with designs based on these patterns, which is still made by hand.
Personal souvenir
Coming to buy the attractive but delicate porcelain pieces here, one is spoilt for choices. If you find Delft Blue as dull, then choose a polychrome piece with shades of red, green, yellow and blue. And interestingly, one can paint one’s own tile or any ceramic piece by participating in the painting workshop. With the help and professional guidance available here, one can make one’s own personal souvenir. Lack of time couldn’t let me create my own piece to take back home, but I was quite happy to buy two plates and a tile depicting famous Holland tulips, windmills, a sailing ship and a biblical scene.
As the tour to this lovely Dutch city was coming to an end, I took a quick look at the road side shops, galleries, pubs and restaurants with outdoor terraces and constantly wished I had more time on my hand to view the city’s colourful flower market and the flea market to buy bric-a-brac and antiques. But soon leaving the “If only I had more time…” thought behind, I boarded the bus with a feeling of content and with a more convincing idea that no visit to the Netherlands is complete without a visit to the Delft.