Century Vase 1873 - 1876

This porcelain ‘Century Vase,’ made by Karl L. H. Müller, is a fascinating object because it speaks to nineteenth-century Germany's complex relationship to the United States. The vase is decorated with portraits of George Washington and allegorical scenes of American history. These images would have been potent symbols of liberty and republicanism in a German context, where democratic movements were on the rise. Notice how the artist juxtaposes the portrait of Washington with classical motifs like the laurel wreath and the lion head handles. Müller seems to be drawing a direct connection between American democracy and the ideals of the ancient world. To fully understand this work, we might explore the history of German emigration to the United States, or the circulation of political ideas between Europe and America in the 1800s. What did the American Revolution mean to German liberals and radicals? What did they hope to learn from the American experiment? By answering such questions, we can begin to appreciate the layered meanings of an artwork like this one.