Jug 1740 - 1750

This is an English jug made from earthenware by John Astbury sometime between 1688 and 1743. Imagine for a moment the world in which this object circulated. Its mottled surface mimics more luxurious objects made from marble, yet it speaks to an expanding middle class eager to participate in new rituals of consumption. As you consider this object, think about how the material culture of the 18th century, a time of emerging colonial structures, was deeply intertwined with the subjugation of people of color and the exploitation of labor. What kind of hot liquids did it hold? Tea, coffee, chocolate? What was the relationship of the consumer to the source of the jug’s contents? This jug, with its marbled surface, reminds us to consider the complex, often troubling relationships between beauty, utility, and social inequality. It serves as a potent reminder of the lives, both visible and invisible, connected to even the simplest of objects.