“The second sort is of a grey colour, with abundance of small irregular lines in it, that cross one another, as if the vessel was all over striped, or wrought with inlaid or mosaic work. I cannot imagine how they form these figures, for I have much ado to believe that they are able to draw them with a pencil. However it is, these sort of vases partake of a particular beauty; and sure I am, the curious amongst us would much value them.
“Last of all, the third sort of porcelain is white, with divers figures of flowers, trees and birds, which they paint in blue, such as come hither into Europe. This is the commonest of all, and everybody uses it.”
The minute descriptions of the manufacture and varieties of porcelain furnished by Dutch and other travellers must not be charged up to an artistic appreciation exclusively. The Dutch were very much in earnest in their efforts to manufacture a home product which might compete with the foreign. As we have seen, Dutch pottery had already attained a high reputation, and was much sought after in foreign markets; and now, with the influx of porcelain, the Guilds strained every nerve to meet the demand.
The manufacture of delft began at the end of the sixteenth century with Hermann Pietersz, a native of Haarlem. In the first days of its existence, the style of decoration was rather complicated, for the subjects representing _kermesses_, combats, etc., were designed _en camaïeu_. In order to sell a piece of pottery, the potter had to belong to the Guild of St. Luke. The Delft Guild of St. Luke was established in 1611 and included all the skilled workmen in the arts and crafts: (1) painters; (2) stainers of glass, engravers and glass-makers; (3) potters; (4) embroiderers and weavers of tapestry; (5) sculptors and carvers; (6) sheath or scabbard-makers; (7) art-printers and booksellers; and (8) engravers and dealers in paintings.
In the second half of the seventeenth century, particularly under the influence of Abraham de Kooge (1632) and Albrecht de Keizer (1642), the Delft potters began to imitate the Oriental products in both modelling and decoration. De Kooge was famous for his landscapes and portraits with names and dates—all in blue; but de Keizer, who was the precursor of the celebrated Cornelis de Keizer and the two Pynackers, also produced coloured ware in imitation of the Chinese and Japanese. Other followers were: Pieter Oesterham, who devoted himself chiefly to landscapes and national portraits; Frederick van Frytom, who was particularly fond of blue _camaïeu_: Gerrit Pietersz, who delighted in elephants and Chinese subjects; and Augustijn Reygensbergh, who made fine imitations of Chinese and Japanese ware in red, blue and gold. Lowys Fictoor (1689) and Lambertus Eenhoorn (1691) were famous for their black delft, with wonderful glaze and ornamented in the Chinese style with pagodas and trees in yellow and green; Lucas van Dale, for his olive-brown decorated with yellow; Leonard van Amsterdam, for figures, small landscapes and shipping scenes painted in colours on the backs of brushes as well as small dishes; and Verhagen sought the prints of Goltzius. Among other celebrated potters of this period are the names of two other Eenhoorns, five Kams, four Van der Hoevens, and two Dextras. The many factories of Delft were known under fanciful names, such as The Rose, The Star, The Peacock, The Claw, The Three Bells, etc., etc. Delft ware declined about the end of the seventeenth century.