Vinegar bottle c. 20th century

This anonymous vinegar bottle, wherever and whenever it was made, shows us how even everyday objects can become artful. The way the squares of the checkerboard pattern meet the solid rectangle containing the word ‘Vinegar’ is so satisfying. I find myself wondering about the kind of brush used to apply the yellow glaze. There’s a slight bleed to it, meaning it wasn’t painstakingly perfect. I appreciate that imperfection, seeing the hand in the making. I like that the ‘V’ in vinegar is slightly larger than the other letters. It’s a quiet rebellion against uniformity. Thinking about contemporaries, this object reminds me of the work of contemporary ceramicists, those who blur the lines between functionality and sculpture. Ultimately, this bottle tells us that art isn’t just in galleries, it’s in the choices we make, the objects we surround ourselves with, and the beauty we find in the mundane.