Bowl 1810 - 1850

This small bowl was created by an anonymous artist. Without further information, the bowl is in itself a challenge to the institutions of art. The lack of identifying features asks us to consider the object on its own merit, rather than through the lens of a famous artist’s persona or background. The vessel may have had a practical function for eating, drinking or storage, and thus was never intended to be considered art. The art institution, in this case the museum, elevates the bowl to the status of an art object through display and interpretation. We can only speculate about its origins and the cultural context of its creation. To fully understand the significance of this humble bowl, a historian would need to look at archaeological records, comparative studies of ceramics, and social histories of daily life. This process reveals how even the simplest object carries a wealth of information about its time and place.