Jug
1810–35
Medium
Stoneware
Dimensions
H. 18 in. (45.7 cm)
Classification
Jug
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909
Accession Number
10.125.666 R(1)
Art Historical Context
This handsome stoneware jug, crafted American potter Jonathan Fenton between 0 and 1835, stands an impressive 18 inches tall, making it a substantial vessel for use. Produced during a period of burgeoning American pottery production, such jugs were essential for storing and serving liquids like cider, beer, or whiskey in households, taverns, and farms across the growing nation. Stoneware's durability and resistance to leakage—achieved through high-fire vitrification and often salt glazing—marked it as a practical innovation in early 19th-century America, bridging European traditions with home...