Mug
Unknown Artist
1800–1830
Medium
Probably earthenware
Dimensions
4 3/4 x 5 3/8 x 4 1/4 in. (12.1 x 13.7 x 10.8 cm)
Classification
Mug
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert Macauley Jackson, 1920
Accession Number
20.109.9
Art Historical Context
This unassuming mug, crafted by an unknown American potter between 1800 and1830, offers a glimpse into the everyday life of the early American. Measuring a practical 4 3/4 x 5 3/8 x 4 1/4 inches, it was designed for daily use—likely holding ale, cider, or coffee in a bustling household. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it entered the collection in 1920 as a gift from Robert Macauley Jackson, preserving a slice of vernacular artistry. Fashioned from earthenware, a durable and affordable clay medium fired at low temperatures, this mug exemplifies the folk pottery tradit...