Jug with Figure in Profile
Unknown Artist
1420–50
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall: 7 1/2 x 5 9/16 x 4 11/16 in. (19.1 x 14.2 x 11.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Italian
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1912
Accession Number
12.129.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming *Jug with Figure in Profile*, crafted in Italy between 1420 and 1450, exemplifies the artistry of tin-glazed earthen, a technique known as maiolica that flourished in Renaissance workshops. The jug's compact form—measuring just 7½ inches tall—served both practical and decorative purposes, likely gracing the tables of affluent households. Its glossy tin glaze created a luminous white surface ideal for vibrant painted designs, here featuring a striking profile figure that evokes classical antiquity, a nod to the era's humanist revival of ancient Roman portraiture. Produced during ...