Lekythos 1872 - 1880

This Lekythos was crafted at the Chelsea Keramic Art Works in Massachusetts, sometime between 1872 and 1889. It's red-figure decoration imitates ancient Greek pottery, but what does it tell us about American art institutions at the time? Well, the late 19th century saw American museums and art schools rapidly expanding. Greek art was viewed as the epitome of aesthetic achievement. Copying ancient forms was seen as a way to elevate American art and design. The Chelsea Keramic Art Works, though short-lived, exemplifies this trend. Founded by members of Boston's intellectual elite, it aimed to produce high-quality art pottery, training women in design and ceramics. The Lekythos, with its stylized motifs and precise execution, reflects the period's fascination with classical forms, and also with the social engineering of the art world itself. Studying the records of institutions like the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the catalogues of art schools, allows us to understand the aspirations and social context that shaped this seemingly simple, yet culturally loaded object.