The output of the short-lived and modest factory of Rozenburg, in The Hague, includes some of the most powerful examples of ceramics in the Art Nouveau style, which is typified by elongated organic shapes and sinuous, curling designs.
Established in 1883, the Rozenburg factory blossomed under the art director J. Juriaan Kok, who took up the post in 1895. Working with the chemist M.N. Engelen, in 1899 he introduced a delicate ceramic product, Eierschaalporselein or 'eggshell porcelain', which is almost identical in composition to English bone china. This was launched at the Paris Universal Exhibition the following year. It can be very thinly potted into flamboyant shapes by means of the slip-casting technique and displays a highly translucent pale ivory hue.
The brittleness of the ware is enhanced by Kok's elegant design, resulting in pieces that combine form and pattern, fragility and bright vibrant colour. This vase is typical of the faceted style of Rozenberg's work, which synthesizes angular and rounded forms. The decoration, executed by highly skilled painters, owes a debt to French and Belgian Art Nouveau, and Kok's effective use of blank space recalls Japanese principles of design.
The success of the Rozenburg factory was, in large part, dependent upon the vision of its art director. Kok left the firm in 1913 and production ceased the following year.