Jar 1809

Philip Kline’s “Jar” from 1809 is a stoneware vessel decorated with a bold, brown-slip design. The piece, currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, features a central image of an American bald eagle with the inscription “Liberty” below. The eagle is surrounded by stars and stylized floral motifs, a popular decorative technique of the time. This design exemplifies the patriotic fervor prevalent in America during this period.