Stoneware Crock 1935 - 1942

Editor: This is Mary Fitzgerald’s "Stoneware Crock," made sometime between 1935 and 1942 using earthenware and other ceramic techniques, I think. I’m really struck by how humble the subject matter is; it's just a simple crock. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, first, it's important to remember the historical context. During the Depression era, there was a strong emphasis on American craftsmanship and folk art. This piece, likely made under the WPA's Federal Art Project, represents an interest in preserving and celebrating regional traditions. Consider how institutions at that time shaped taste and what was valued. Does it strike you as exceptional, or rather, representative? Editor: I suppose representative, but beautifully rendered in a realistic way. Are those cobalt blue decorations typical of stoneware crocks from that period? Curator: Exactly. Cobalt oxide was often used for decoration on stoneware because it could withstand the high firing temperatures. So it wasn't necessarily an aesthetic choice alone. What do these kinds of material constraints tell you about the artistic agency involved? Editor: It's a negotiation, I guess, between what's artistically desired and what's technically feasible or available. Plus, what the funding allowed for. It makes you think about how even a seemingly simple piece holds so much history! Curator: Precisely! It reveals a fascinating interplay between artistic expression, material limitations, and social contexts. Appreciating this interplay helps us see the larger historical narrative woven into the artwork. Editor: I never would have thought of it that way at first glance. Now I want to learn more about the WPA! Thanks.