Faceted jar late 19th-early 20th century

Curator: This faceted jar at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, dating back to the late 19th or early 20th century, is an earthenware piece, but its dark, lustrous glaze almost gives the illusion of metal. Editor: It looks like it has depth, and almost like amber to me, doesn't it? Very rich, dark tones. Also that geometric quality created by those vertical facets brings a very modern sensibility. Curator: Well, in the context of its time, such pieces held diverse roles, everything from domestic storage to ceremonial presentation, depending on the glaze, decoration, and form. Editor: I notice the subtle variations in the glaze, small raised dots almost like droplets of condensed water all over the jar. Do they suggest anything to you? Is there some particular intention from the craftsman perhaps? Curator: Potters in many cultures often used glazes and forms derived from nature. Considering that the piece doesn’t feature obvious iconography, that more subtle effect may have been meant to reference natural textures and patterns. The light reflecting off that glazed surface, in controlled circumstances, may have been a point of interest to collectors or audiences familiar with that artistic intention. Editor: It is visually intriguing. Even the subtle geometry with the flat panels contrasted by that domed top creates a unique tension. Are those purely aesthetic choices, or could the panels themselves carry a more symbolic meaning, suggesting perhaps structured living, family connections, the stages of life represented linearly? Curator: That’s a thoughtful question. In absence of identifying marks or records about who commissioned the piece, it's harder to say, but given similar artworks with those decorative and functional panels in the 19th century, they tend to be linked to cultural ideals of social cohesion through geometric harmonies. Editor: Well, regardless of the original intent, the jar's form invites viewers to contemplate those concepts today, and the smooth curves do still manage to retain an air of serene, comforting, organic growth despite its artificial making. Curator: I agree, there's a balance to appreciate between crafted structure and natural allusions that would certainly spark dialogue about social values between creator and audience, as it has here.