Vase 1895 - 1912

Curator: Standing before us is a ceramic vase crafted by Grueby Pottery between 1895 and 1912, currently residing here at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Its matte, vegetal green immediately recalls a sense of subdued organicism. The stylized lily pads and droopy flower buds suggest an abstracted water garden. There’s something slightly melancholic about its downward-facing ornamentation. Curator: Precisely! The formal arrangement is carefully considered. Note the deliberate repetition of the attenuated floral forms, creating a rhythm that guides the eye vertically. The subtle gradations in the green glaze enrich the surface and create a complex interplay of light and shadow. Editor: And the use of the lily pad motif – deeply symbolic. Lilies often represent purity, rebirth, and resurrection, across many cultures and periods of art history. It appears to speak of a cyclical natural process. There's a meditative quality evoked. Curator: The material itself contributes significantly to this impression. The weight and texture of the ceramic offer a haptic experience, a desire to touch, even if the glaze resists easy engagement, withholding tactile pleasure. Editor: Do you suppose this piece was meant to be displayed with water and fresh lilies? The imagery is suggestive of something more immersive and sensory, perhaps meant to reflect something beyond its status as decorative art. The buds have a somber character—are they mourning, perhaps? Curator: I disagree that it has somber qualities. In terms of decorative function, one must concede it would still stand without any additional support or adornment of plant or flower, its function primarily a formal, not symbolic, one. That being said, considering the rise of the Arts and Crafts movement, its inherent relationship to nature certainly makes for an additional point of study. Editor: I suppose in the end it offers both – the serenity of contemplation alongside formalism’s precise visual arrangement. Thank you for lending a sharper, clearer definition to both observations. Curator: Likewise! The blend of our perspectives has, hopefully, deepened our understanding of its unique character and place in the Art Nouveau continuum.