Jug c. 1936

Nicholas Amantea made this drawing of a jug. The jug, with its rounded form and ornamented with a blue floral motif, evokes a sense of functionality meeting folk art. Amantea’s drawing provides a lens through which we might consider the intersection of labor, material culture, and identity in twentieth century America. The jug itself, likely a common household item, hints at the domestic sphere and the roles of individuals within it. The floral decoration, while seemingly simple, connects to broader traditions of decorative arts often associated with women's work and the home. Moreover, we might reflect on the act of representation itself. What does it mean to document or idealize everyday objects? The drawing encourages us to see beauty and value in the mundane. It subtly elevates the status of working-class aesthetics, and invites us to reconsider the social hierarchies embedded in art and design.