Tankard (schnelle) with Biblical scenes 1570

This tankard, or schnelle, was made by H. Hilgers from stoneware, decorated with biblical scenes. The material itself exerts a strong influence on the tankard's appearance. Stoneware is dense and non-porous, ideal for containing liquid, and capable of being elaborately molded. The handle, the lid, and the body, all point to the work that was involved in its production. The high-relief biblical scenes that adorn the stoneware, were first pressed from molds, and then applied to the surface of the tankard with a slip, before firing. These stoneware tankards were not just functional drinking vessels, they were also cultural objects that represented the social status of the owner, and embodied skilled traditions of creative practice, aesthetics, craft, and fine art. Stoneware production required considerable technical skill to control the firing process, as stoneware needs to reach very high temperatures, and the resulting vessels were durable, but comparatively expensive. When you consider the combination of skill, materials, and social context involved in this tankard's creation, it challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.