Jug with Blue-on-Brown Glaze
20th century (pre-1974)
Medium
Decorative Arts-Ceramic
Classification
Decorative Arts-Ceramic
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Accession Number
1986.65.31
About this artwork
Until the mid-twentieth century, people used large stoneware pots to store homemade butter, syrups, fruit, and meat. They also fermented and stored alcohol in heavy bell jars that kept the brew airtight and cool. Craftsmen used local clays and handmade glazes to create these pots and rarely applied any decoration. The glazes were made from sand, clay, lime, or wood ash, and often ran down the clay during firing to create a âtobacco spitâ effect.
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –