Pitcher 1845 - 1875

This is a stoneware pitcher, made at the Norwich Pottery. Note the mottled brown glaze across its surface, a deliberate manipulation of the medium that complicates any clear distinction between function and decoration. The pitcher's form is classically simple, yet the glaze introduces an element of chance and organic texture. The design is rendered in a slip technique, where a contrasting clay mixture is applied to create patterns. These are suggestive of plant forms. The use of slip decoration is interesting because it brings a tactile quality, almost blurring the lines between the applied decoration and the vessel itself. The pitcher operates on multiple levels of signification. It is a functional object, but it is also an aesthetic statement that engages with ideas of nature and artistry. The formal qualities of the pitcher, its shape, color, and decorative elements converge to create a piece that exists at the intersection of craft, design, and artistic expression. It destabilizes the conventional hierarchy between utilitarian objects and fine art.