-Jug with Birds- still bank c. 20th century

Editor: So this folksy piece is titled "-Jug with Birds- still bank," dating to around the 20th century, and crafted by Wetheriggs Country Pottery. It’s made of earthenware and it is now held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. What strikes me immediately is its utilitarian charm - the brown glaze, the simple floral motifs, and those little birds! How would you interpret this piece, particularly considering its function as a still bank? Curator: This is a delightful piece, isn't it? It invites us to consider the relationship between utility, artistry, and cultural values. As an iconographer, the birds atop and around the jug intrigue me most. Throughout history, birds often represent freedom, spirit, and even the soul. In folk art, however, their meaning is delightfully multivalent. This "jug" form recalls ancient storage vessels but takes on a new significance when combined with these decorative elements, especially considering it as a bank. It makes me think about folk wisdom and children’s learning. What is your sense of that? Editor: That's really interesting! I hadn't thought about birds as a broader cultural symbol, I simply saw them as decorative. And to be honest, seeing them attached to a functional object sort of cheapened the whole experience in my eyes. Now you're making me question the role they play. They appear like they're guarding something. But how would one reconcile the idea of spiritual freedom with saving money? Isn't that ironic? Curator: Indeed. Perhaps it is inviting contemplation about what we value most. Does it push you to think about what freedom truly means, or what cultural messages such an image embodies about work and the rewards for one's labor? It may subtly teach economic values but does so by appropriating older cultural understandings. It becomes a sort of “vessel” for those values. It speaks of collective, cultural memory. Editor: I guess that changes the entire perspective. It isn't just a decorative jug; it becomes a statement about interweaving cultural values and tradition, presented through everyday imagery. I’ll definitely never look at a piggy bank the same way again. Thanks.