“Delft Blue” is the name given to a style of pottery painting that began around 1600 in the Dutch city of Delft. The ceramic painting style was based on the use of cobalt oxide which turned blue after exposed to high temperatures. Artists of the time painted animals, flowers and iconic Dutch imagery such as windmills, clogs and kissing couples onto crockery that was highly prized throughout Europe and its colonies for centuries to come.
Delft Blue Floral Tattoos
A lot of antique pottery that was painted in the 17th century contained nature-based decorations, especially flowers, berries and leaves. These floral motifs brought the Dutch people’s love of nature right into their homes, and using their beautifully painted crockery during the drab winter months reminded them of the pretty spring and summer months to come.
In Dutch, Delft Blue is called “Delfts Blauw” and many people who choose to get a Delft Blue tattoo choose their tattoo design from existing designs painted on Dutch pottery; designs that show the original hand-painted brush strokes of the long-dead artists. These tattoos are often a symbol of Dutch heritage and a symbol of a person who appreciates the finer things in life; such as hand-painted porcelain.
Dutch Iconic Images Make Great Delft Blue Tattoos
The use of cobalt oxide in porcelain painting is a part of the heritage of Dutch people, as is the use of windmills for grinding grain, exploring the world with sailing ships, growing tulip flowers, wearing clog shoes and a near-obsession with cute porcelain figurines and pretty painted tiles.
These iconic images are all used in tattoo art as a symbol of Dutch heritage or, for those who don’t have Dutch blood, these icons are worn as a symbol of what they represent; the kissing couple is a universally-recognized symbol of innocent love, windmill tattoos symbolize human ingenuity and the sailing ships are a symbol of an adventurous spirit.
Just as the porcelain painters of the 17th century would water down their cobalt oxide paint to create different blue shades, tattoo artists will water down their blue tattoo ink to create softer, lighter shades of blue in their tattoo design. Because there are so many shades of blue tattoo ink to choose from, tattoo artists often embellish their Delft Blue tattoos with other blue inks. And because the art style of Delft Blue painting has evolved over the centuries, modern Delft Blue tattoos often reflect this with the inclusion of modern symbols and styles.
These Tattoos are a Modern Take on an Antique Style
Delft blue is a style that remains popular more than four centuries after it first began being used on fine china in Delft, The Netherlands. It has become internationally recognised and it is being used in contemporary tattoo designs as a symbol of luxury, an appreciation of hand-made crafts and a love of the finer things in life. The Delft Blue painting style is very playful, too, and so it is a symbol of sophistication while also remaining light-hearted. Delft Blue ceramics are the kind of crockery that you’d serve tea to your family friends in, and so it is also a symbol of family values and appreciating your relationships with friends and family. Here are a couple of modern tattoo designs that incorporate the Delft Blue style into modern tattoo styles: