Pitcher c. 1900

Editor: We're looking at a “Pitcher,” dating from around 1900, currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, attributed to M. Lucien Hirtz. The shiny metallic finish immediately grabs your attention. It feels like something out of a fairytale. I’m really intrigued by that lizard crawling up the side! What's your take on this peculiar, yet gorgeous piece? Curator: Oh, this isn't your grandma’s ceramic pitcher, is it? To me, this pitcher feels like a quirky poem, a little fable in metal and clay. The Art Nouveau period loved these organic forms. Imagine, the artist has chosen a humble object and then elevated it. Did you notice how the body of the pitcher almost resembles a sprouting bud, pushing up from the earth? Editor: I hadn't thought of it like that, but I totally see it now. The base definitely looks like flower petals! What about the lizard and the bee? Are they just decorative? Curator: Well, nothing is *just* decorative, is it? Think about what these creatures represent: transformation, nature's energy, life bursting forth. Perhaps the lizard, clinging possessively, suggests a darker undercurrent, a hint of nature's untamed side. The bee is a symbol of industry, maybe implying that even beauty has to *work* for its place in the world. Do you think they play well together? Editor: That’s interesting. I guess I always just saw the Art Nouveau stuff as pretty. But seeing these juxtapositions is thought-provoking. Curator: It's about contrasts, isn't it? Light and dark, form and function, whimsical and wise. Perhaps a bit of nature's humour. Next time you pour water, think about what stories it might be telling!