Coffee Pot
1750/65
Medium
Lead-glazed earthenware (agateware)
Dimensions
27.4 × 18.5 × 12.9 cm (10 3/4 × 7 1/4 × 5 1/16 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
67397
Art Historical Context
This elegant coffee pot, crafted around 1750–65, exemplifies the refined applied arts of 18th-century Europe. Made of lead-glazed earthenware in the distinctive agateware technique, it features a marbled surface that mimics the swirling bands of natural agate stone. Artisans achieved this effect by layering and twisting clays of contrasting colors—often white, black, and brown—before firing, creating a luxurious, stone-like illusion in an affordable ceramic medium. Standing at 27.4 × 18.5 × 12.9 cm, its baluster shape, spout, and handle blend practicality with graceful proportions, ideal for s...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...