Footwarmer 1840 - 1860

Editor: Here we have "Footwarmer", a ceramic earthenware piece made by Lyman, Fenton & Co. sometime between 1840 and 1860. The glossy brown glaze is captivating, and its unique bulbous form, decorated with applied ornaments, stands out. How might one interpret this intriguing form? Curator: Its shape, constrained yet voluptuous, asserts its objecthood through geometry, and is further enhanced by the way light falls across the vertical lines. Notice how the thick, pooling glaze creates subtle modulations of tone. It’s almost liquid; viscosity made visible. Editor: Interesting. The glazing technique definitely directs the eye. It does create an energetic yet subtle movement. Is there any visual tension, would you say? Curator: Precisely. There’s a visual tension set in the constrained decorative band around the top, between ornament and utility. It is a form that adheres to geometry while embracing an uneven flow through a high degree of the viscosity of its painted decoration. In this regard, what sort of experience would you consider appropriate? Editor: Perhaps... unexpected? The brown coloration brings to mind the warmth associated with it being a "Footwarmer," and as you mentioned, the glazing technique is both elegant and straightforward, suggesting function but through decorative quality. Curator: I agree entirely. The very material seems to embody, at once, elegance and practicality. A simple piece like this provides an avenue for considering deeper concepts of structure, decoration and experience, which often get short shrift. Editor: Definitely. Considering the texture and form together gives it another layer of complexity, even beyond just it being a useful household object. Curator: Absolutely. A form and design is far from simple. It may well encapsulate an essence in what seems very simple on the surface.