ABOUT EGGSHELL PORCELAIN

This ultra thin, white and translucent eggshell porcelain forms the ‘canvas’ for my depictions. They offer a convex as well as a concave surface on the in- and the outside, which gives me the opportunity to play with translucency and juxtaposition of elements.

I purchase the porcelain, which is traditionally manufactured in China, directly from small isolated workshops in the city of Jingdezhen. south-east China.
To produce a porcelain thin like this is a tremendous technical achievement, which has its roots deep in 14th century China, The skills behind its preparation are passed down from one generation to another, to be inherited and carried forward. The identical but differently sized deep bowls are shaped in a 'perfect' curve to prevent deformation. The elevated rim underneath lifts them from the surface they are sitting on.

With these bowls the Chinese craftsmen balance on the edge of what is possible in porcelain. The production process is very complex and time-consuming, the risk on deformation being high.

The quality of the Chinese porcelain cannot be equalled outside of China, it is "as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, as resonant as chime".  During the production process almost half of the pieces are thrown away.. This is why the price of the white ware is considerable.

In Europe some ceramic factories began to experiment with eggshell porcelain in the beginning of the 20th century. In the Netherlands the Dutch factory of Rozenburg, situated in The Hague, produced during a limited period of time some extraordinary cups and vases in Art Nouveau style. The production, although very successful, was abandoned at the outbreak of the First World War when the factory had to close down.