Vase

Art Historical Context

This elegant vase, crafted by the Faience Manufacturing Company between 1886 and 1890, exemplifies the height of American ceramic artistry during the Aesthetic Movement. Founded in Chicago, the company specialized in luxurious earthenware pieces that brought European-inspired sophistication to American homes, blending functionality with fine art. Standing at 17½ inches tall, this vase reflects the era's fascination with beauty in everyday objects, as decorators like those at Faience elevated pottery to collector status. The medium—earthenware glazed and painted with overgl polychrome enamels and paste decoration—highlights innovative techniques. Overglaze enamels, fired at lower temperatures, allowed vibrant, jewel-like colors, while raised paste created textured, sculptural motifs, likely featuring ducks amid naturalistic scenes. These methods produced a luminous, three-dimensional effect, showcasing the company's mastery in mimicking porcelain's delicacy on more accessible clay. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this gift from Brian D. Coleman in 2002 underscores its cultural importance as a touchstone of Gilded Age innovation. It captures America's growing confidence in domestic design, bridging industrial production with artistic expression for a discerning public.