Flower Pyramid thumbnail 1
Flower Pyramid thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Flower Pyramid

ca. 1695 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This flower vase originally consisted of a separate base and seven stackable tiers (one of which is now missing). Each tier could hold water and each of its six spouts could hold a few cut flowers. Although the idea of making a ceramic pyramid originated in The Netherlands, the shape of such monumental vases was probably derived from a Chinese pagoda.

People
The arms and motto of John Churchill (1650-1722) as Earl of Marlborough are incorporated in the painted decoration on the base of this object. Churchill held the title of Earl from 1689 until he became the 1st Duke of Marlborough in 1702. The motto 'FIEL PERO DESDICADO' ('Faithful, though unfortunate') is accompanied by symbolic figures of Justice, Faith, Charity and Wisdom.

Mary II (1662-1694) introduced the fashion for Dutch delftware to England when she returned from The Netherlands in 1689. Mary herself ordered large amounts of wares from Adrianus Kocx, proprietor of the prestigious 'Greek A' factory in Delft from 1686 to 1701. At the time of her death, she owed him £122 14s 9d for 'Dutch China or ware'. William III used splendid Delft pieces as royal gifts to his English nobles.

Materials & Making
Dutch blue and white earthenware imitated the highly fashionable Chinese porcelain that was imported in large quantities.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 7 parts.

  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
  • Tulip Vase
Materials and techniques
Tin-glazed earthenware, painted in blue
Brief description
Flower Pyramid, tin glazed-earthenware, Delft, Netherlands, ca. 1695
Dimensions
  • Including replacement piece height: 114.3cm
  • Base width: 33.7cm
  • Depth: 36cm
  • After removal of wood finial in 1999 height: 95.0cm
  • Viewed from front width: 34.0cm
  • Viewed from front depth: 32.0cm
Dimensions checked: measured; 20/04/1999 by DW/NH
Marks and inscriptions
Marked with the monogram of Adrianus Kocx (died in Delft, 1701)
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
Dutch blue and white earthenware (known as delftware) was made in imitation of the Chinese porcelain that was imported in large quantities and had become highly fashionable. This pyramid consists of seven stacking tiers that can hold water. Each tier has spouts in the shape of lizards to hold several flowers.
Credit line
Bequeathed by Sir Isidore Spielmann, CMG
Object history
Made for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, while Earl of Marlborough (born in Ashe, Devon, 1650, died at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1722), whose arms and motto appear on the base Made at the 'Greek A' Factory, Delft, The Netherlands
Summary
Object Type
This flower vase originally consisted of a separate base and seven stackable tiers (one of which is now missing). Each tier could hold water and each of its six spouts could hold a few cut flowers. Although the idea of making a ceramic pyramid originated in The Netherlands, the shape of such monumental vases was probably derived from a Chinese pagoda.

People
The arms and motto of John Churchill (1650-1722) as Earl of Marlborough are incorporated in the painted decoration on the base of this object. Churchill held the title of Earl from 1689 until he became the 1st Duke of Marlborough in 1702. The motto 'FIEL PERO DESDICADO' ('Faithful, though unfortunate') is accompanied by symbolic figures of Justice, Faith, Charity and Wisdom.

Mary II (1662-1694) introduced the fashion for Dutch delftware to England when she returned from The Netherlands in 1689. Mary herself ordered large amounts of wares from Adrianus Kocx, proprietor of the prestigious 'Greek A' factory in Delft from 1686 to 1701. At the time of her death, she owed him £122 14s 9d for 'Dutch China or ware'. William III used splendid Delft pieces as royal gifts to his English nobles.

Materials & Making
Dutch blue and white earthenware imitated the highly fashionable Chinese porcelain that was imported in large quantities.
Bibliographic references
  • Aken Fehmers, M.van, Erkelens, W., & Dumortier, C.,Vases with Spouts: Three Centuries of Splendour(Waanders Publishers: Zwolle, 2007
  • Lomax, James. Baroque forms and decoration on English Pottery 1640-1760. A paper read at the weekend seminar Fire and Form – The Baroque and its influence on English Ceramics, c. 1660-1760, 26th-27th March 2011, published English Ceramics Circle, 2013, pp171-208. Illustrated fig. 65, 195p, together with another similar example at Castle Howard, fig. 66.
Collection
Accession number
C.615-1925

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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