Bowl
1803–67
Medium
Earthenware; Redware with slip decoration
Dimensions
H. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm); Diam. 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm)
Classification
Bowl
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert Macauley Jackson, 1920
Accession Number
20.109.11
Art Historical Context
This charming redware bowl, crafted by American potter Hervey Brooks between 1803 and 1867, exemplifies the practical yet decorative pottery traditions of early nineteenth-century America. Made from earthenware clay, the vessel features slip decoration—a technique in which liquid clay is applied to the surface to create contrasting patterns before firing. Its modest size and wide, shallow form suggest it was designed for everyday use, perhaps for serving food or mixing ingredients in a rural household. Redware pottery like this piece played an important role in American domestic life during t...