“It was made to my design, under the guidance of Dutch ceramicist Norman Trapman, by Mr. Liu. Mr. Liu is 65 years old, works every day, loves banquets and ballroom dancing and is head of the Sculpture Factory in Jindezhen, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China.

Jindezhen is China’s most famous porcelain town: ceramics have been made there since the year zero and porcelain since approximately 1200 AD. The raw material for porcelain, kaolin, is named after the nearby Mount Gao Lin. The imperial porcelain was made in Jindezhen, as was most of the porcelain transported by the Dutch East India Company. Its quality is still unequalled.

I very much enjoy drinking tea from a typical Chinese one-man teapot/cup with lid, which allows your tea to retain its heat for a long time. My inspiration came from early Chinese bronze dinnerware made prior to the Christian era and it was my aim to use the glazes for which this region is famous. The death’s head is, of course, not Chinese at all, but it’s an exciting motif.

With thanks to Mr. Liu and Norman,
Kind regards,
Joost van den Toorn”

Firing: 150 pieces/ height 6.6 in.