Face Flask 1820 - 1835

Curator: Here we have a ceramic sculpture entitled "Face Flask," dated from 1820 to 1835, held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, by an anonymous artist. Editor: It’s striking! The texture looks so tactile, and that almost ruddy brown patina gives it such a raw, earthy feel. The symmetry is subtly off, which contributes to this sense of the handmade. What a presence! Curator: Indeed. Pieces like this flask offer us insight into early American folk art and its intersection with functional objects. Face jugs and flasks were often made by enslaved Africans or African Americans in the Southern United States. They carry heavy implications of power, subjugation, and survival. Editor: So, beyond the context, do you see intentional formal elements? The brow is heavy, but not aggressive. The slight asymmetry, particularly around the mouth—is there a narrative there, or do you attribute this simply to material and technical constraints? Curator: The exaggerated features may reflect cultural stereotypes of the time, or possibly an attempt to subvert these perceptions by creating a unique individual expression, using art to resist and reappropriate. What the mouth is saying is more complicated when the people making it have no power to speak freely. Editor: Looking at the shape, I see the influence of early stoneware traditions combined with some raw carving and that limited palette enhances the expression…it is an intense contrast. You describe how subjugation can affect artistic production and interpretation and what remains in the historical account. What a complex piece! Curator: Exactly. It reminds us of the potent role objects can play in representing and preserving stories of communities marginalized and disempowered. This artwork functions as both artifact and active agent of remembering. Editor: The raw material speaks volumes here—so basic, yet imbued with all that cultural complexity. It really does underscore how the maker's vision intersects with larger societal forces. Curator: Thank you. It gives you pause to reflect. Editor: I completely agree. There is something compelling here; I look at art a little differently today.