Pitcher

Art Historical Context

This charming earthenware pitcher, crafted Sidney Risley at Norwich Pottery around 1845–58, mid-19th-century ceramics from Connecticut. Standing 8⅜ inches tall with a 7-inch diameter, its mottled brown glaze—reminiscent of popular Rockingham ware—gives it a warm, earthy texture that was both durable and visually appealing for everyday use. The elongated form, measuring 9 inches in length, suggests it was for practical pouring, perhaps in a rural American household. A deer motif, hinted at in its decorative tagging, adds a touch of whimsy, likely molded or incised into the clay before firing. Norwich Pottery was renowned for such utilitarian yet artistic pieces, blending English influences with American ingenuity during a time when domestic pottery flourished amid growing industrialization. This pitcher captures the era's blend of function and folk artistry, reflecting rural life and hunting culture. Now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it entered the collection in 1914 via the bequest of Mary Mandeville Johnston. A delightful survivor of daily use, it invites us to appreciate the skilled hands behind America's ceramic heritage.

About the Artist

Sidney Risley|Norwich Pottery ( |American) · 1809 | –1819 |9999

ca. 1814–1875|