Ewer 1800 - 1900

This is an anonymous design for a ewer, a type of pitcher, rendered in pen, ink, and watercolor. The ewer, with its classical form and ornamental details, evokes a sense of luxury and refinement, reflective of the aesthetic values of its time. We can ask ourselves about the labor and the production of this object; who would have been able to afford this, and how would it have been used? Note the figure perched delicately on its handle, seemingly pouring something into the vessel: what narratives or ideals are suggested through this gendered form? Ultimately, this ewer design is a material artifact embodying a set of social relations. Its graceful contours reflect a society marked by inequality and power dynamics.