The Pronk Workshop Enterprise - an update in progress... (revising the summary in Hit & Myth, Cohen & Cohen catalogue 2014B, including a new numbering system that allows for additions and deletions) As well as the four designs known to be by Pronk (two for sure and two attributed) there are a number of other designs that have the distinctive style of known Pronk pieces which must have come from the same workshops. This strongly indicates that there was an active contributor either in Amsterdam or, more likely, in Batavia, who was creating additional designs to broaden the range, also using similar source material as Pronk, including Pronk’s own designs. The VOC records indicate that Pronk was commissioned to produce one design each year and that he worked for three and half years producing four designs. The only drawings by Pronk (or contemporary copies of his drawings) are in the Rijksmuseum, showing the Dame au Parasol (A) and the three figures version of the Doctors' Visit (B2). Tantalisingly the sale of art and books from the estate of Pronk’s brother Aldert Pronk in 1772 lists six lots of folders of drawings of models for porcelain by Cornelis. This suggests he might have created more than four designs - or at least more variants. An accurate list of possible 'Pronk' designs is difficult to assemble, but there are possibly as many as 20 attributable to the Pronk Workshop Enterprise as a whole, using comparisons of styles and certain distinctive elements, and the use of shared sources in Natural History prints. 1 The Pronk Four: A Dame au Parasol known in famille rose (FR), Imari and blue and white on dinner, tea and coffee services B1 Doctors' Visit four figures, known on all forms including cisterns and basins, bottle garnitures, in famille rose (FR) and blue and white, no Imari versions? B2 Doctors' Visit three figures - rare, tea services known, famille rose only. C Archer - cisterns and basins only, FR and blue & white (basins with roses and moths after Marie Sybille Merian); two celadon-ground vases, shaped as small cisterns, imari palette. D The Arbour - dinner and tea services in FR and blue and white, no Imari versions? A Meissen teabowl with this pattern is in the New York Metropolitan Museum, No 64.101.165 from the Untermyer Collection, possibly Amsterdam decorated, which suggests that Pronk or the VOC may have had a European example made up as a trial. 2 Closely associated: E The Plume - tea wares, plates and large chargers, in yellow & violet or iron red & grey; relates to D. F Insects coffee service - coffee pot, teapot and cup and saucer known, relates to D, in famille rose and blue and white. G Trumpeter - black ground - plates and tea wares. H Flowers after Merian - plates and dishes in FR and blue & white; a later and cruder version is known; this
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design also relates to an Imperial vase, (Qianlong mark and of the period) in the Victoria and Albert Museum. I PARROTS: I1 Parrot and Spaniel overglaze blue and grisaille, teawares known - derives from Meissen design attr. P Schenck; cups are same unusual shape as G (Trumpeter), B1 (Doctors’ Visit) and F (Insects) I2 Spaniel with parrots on border - later plates, roughly drawn but derived from I1 I3 Parrot on a swing: teawares and garnitures known in blue and white and famille rose; some examples with celadon ground as in C; I4 Parrot on branch: FR garniture, very roughly drawn, probably not Pronk workshop but often listed as such. 3 Cisterns and Basins only: J1 Handwashing - cisterns only, FR, Imari J2 Two Swans - basins only, FR, Imari, b&w These show similarities and seem to match; possibly ordered with Parasol pattern, to which it relates in some ways, the swans being taken from the same prints by Matthaus Merian as the birds in A and some of B1; and also the fish of B1. K The Potentate - cisterns and basins only, FR; an unusual example with the ‘Pronk’ figures’ but with later and ordinary export style decoration was offered at auction (Bonham’s, London, c. 2013). 4 Sconces: part of the last order from the VOC, several sizes and frame styles known, all famille rose L The Phoenix - sconces only M The Flame Bearer - sconces only N The Girl on a Swing - sconces only 4Xa a sconce of same type but with a Chinese sage and tree is recorded. 5 Square-form garnitures mostly derived from Maria Sybille Merian prints from European Insects) O Fritillary, white ground P Dewberry, violet ground Q Redcurrants, black ground R Vine or Foxgrape, similar to R with black ground but foliage and small berries only, no insects; small versions known simplified with white ground, S Auricula, yellow ground - only three vases known, one from a small image; nothing in Merian’s Erucarum Ortus matches. 5Xa garniture of this shape with chinese peony decoration in FR, (vase 2 beakers in Royal Colln, London; 2 vases with Cohen & Cohen 2015) 5Xb a few others slightly different from 5Xa recorded. 5Xc some of the very small vases, similar to S, but with peony decoration in underglaze blue are recorded.