Jug 1800 - 1815

Editor: So, this is a ceramic jug made sometime between 1800 and 1815 by Keeling and Co. It's currently residing at the Met, and honestly, I'm kind of charmed. It’s floral, very of its time, maybe a little gaudy. What jumps out at you about this piece? Curator: Gaudy? I prefer to think of it as exuberantly Romantic! The artists are embracing the wildness of nature, unrestrained, chaotic maybe… Do you see how the floral patterns practically leap off the ceramic? The pastel pink ground feels almost like a blushing cheek, doesn’t it? A secret shared over tea perhaps. What feelings do you have when you look closer at it? Editor: I see what you mean, a blushing cheek… a bit of quiet domesticity. Still, so much going on, different textures, and colours everywhere... Almost overdone. Curator: Maybe. But doesn't that almost playful over-abundance hint at a yearning for beauty, even in the everyday? Like sprinkling sugar on a perfectly ripe strawberry – delicious, right? Look how the gilded trim highlights every curve, how the light dances across the molded flowers... It speaks of craftsmanship and a joy in making. I want to run my fingers along the little lines at the base and see how my fingertip fits into each one. It invites you to participate as it presents this picture to you. Don’t you think so? Editor: That's a perspective shift! I see the care, even if it's still a *bit* much for my taste. Curator: Haha! Maybe you would hide it at the back of a cupboard… That is another good reason for a jug, right? Hidden secrets! Editor: Well, I am walking away thinking it’s more interesting and more expressive than I originally thought, it tells a much longer story than I understood on seeing it first. Thanks. Curator: Me too. Thinking about that extra sugar… Perhaps an even better perspective on something sweet than just a normal one.