Pitcher 1852 - 1858

Editor: So, this is a pitcher made by the United States Pottery Company, sometime between 1852 and 1858. It's earthenware with a creamy, white glaze, currently held at The Met. The molded design mimicking woodgrain makes it almost look like a little, petrified tree. How would you interpret a piece like this? Curator: Focusing on the material reality of this piece reveals much about its cultural and historical context. We see an earthenware pitcher striving to imitate the textures and forms of wood. This conscious manipulation of materials prompts questions about the mid-19th century consumer culture. Was it intended for the middle-class home? Editor: That’s an interesting idea – accessible nature for a rising class. Curator: Exactly. Think of the labor involved in creating such a piece. The process wasn't about celebrating the rawness of the earth. This object represents the aspirations, material values, and industrial capabilities of the era. Also, note how this ceramic form mirrors organic structures. Doesn’t that choice also speak about our evolving relationship to nature? Editor: I see your point. It almost hides its own ceramic nature by taking on this other form. I suppose that speaks volumes about shifting values during industrialization. It’s quite interesting, when we focus on the material, how that unfolds! Curator: Precisely. What begins as a quaint decorative object actually provides insights into labor, materiality, and the developing world around it. It certainly encourages you to investigate further. Editor: It does, indeed. Thinking about art in terms of process makes it far more accessible, rather than feeling I need to focus solely on some grand, unachievable intention. Thanks so much for this insightful way of considering the work!