pottery from Purmerend

The Art Nouveau movement developed as a reaction against historicism. The interpretation of the wealth of forms to be found in the worlds of plant and animal life, following the example of Japanese art, was one of the innovative aspects of this movement. It was also a reaction against the frequently low quality of industrial design. In the Netherlands as elsewhere there was a desire to reinstate honest craftmanship, which led to reforms of technical training and to exhibitions of good examples of design. Art Nouveau in the Netherlands, unlike that of other countries, generally takes the form of symmetrical compositions in which asymmetrical details are incorporated. Decorations are also often confined tot the flat surface.Dutch ceramics of this period are characterized by the large quantities that were produced and by the high degree of mutual influence present. Floral, linear and geometrical designs were adapted. A fairly small group of designers is responsible for most of the original models; the others often go back to classical Chinese porcelain and traditional Delft ware. The decorations were painted on at Purmerend. Inspiration for the decorations was drawn from the pattern-books of, for instance M. Verneuil and E. Grassèt, and the domestic and foreign magazines that ciculated. Notwithstanding the influence of the other pottery factories such as Rozenburg and Zuid-Holland, the Purmerend products have their own distinguishing features of form and colour. Designers with a clear style of their own were C.J. van der Hoef and C.J. Lanooy.

Purmerend at the end of the nineteenth century
Around the turn of the century Purmerend was dominated, as it had long been, by its market. Industrial development remained confined to a number of firms connected with the market. It is striking that in this small agricultural market town no fewer than four factories making decorative pottery should have flourished.

The Lankelma family
A handful of pioneers was involved in the modernizing of Purmerend industry. They included the Lankelmas. In 1848 Jacob Volkert Lankelma bought a centuries-old tile-factory from Gerrit Paardekoper, whose name the firm retained. His son Jan Lankelma began a cement factory with Cornelis Brantjes.

The Brantjes family
Just like the Lankelmas, the Brantjes displayed a spirit of enterprise, business acumen and a good eye for technical developments. Klaas Brantjes bought a sawmill at Purmerend just before the opening of the North-Holland Canal (1824). Nicolaas Brantjes Sr. was put in control of the Brantjes firm, which also operated as a shipping company. The company's ships were involved not only in the wood trade bur also in seal hunting; this led tot the establishing of a whale oil factory on the Neckerstraat. The woodtrade declined towards the end of the century, largely as a consequence of the opening of the North Sea Canal (1876). As well as the cement factory the Brantjes introduced a steam laundry and a kiln-brick factory: 'De Nijverheid' ('Industry'). Nicolaas Brantjes Jr. converted the wale-oil factory for this purpose, but died before the opening.

The town drawing school
The flourishing of the Purmerend pottery industry required not only a ceramic tradition and a spirit of enterprise and of technical innovation, but also artistic understanding. The Town Drawing School, founded in 1826, provided this. This forerunner of the technical school offered a training to prospective painters, carpenters and furniture makers. J.V. Lankelma, H. van der Worp and W. Postema taught at the school, as did H.P. van de Aardweg, Jacob Jongert and J.J.P. Oud. So, towards the end of the century, a climate developed in which creative talent could thrive.