Pie Dish 1803 - 1867

Curator: What strikes you first about this simple earthenware pie dish? It’s attributed to Hervey Brooks, and was made sometime between 1803 and 1867. You can find it in the Met’s collection. Editor: Its humility! It looks so earthy. Like something I'd find nestled in my grandmother's attic. It speaks of slow living, the rhythm of making pies, not for show, but just because, well, pies need to be baked! There's beauty in the imperfection, isn't there? Curator: Precisely. Brooks’s work highlights the democratization of art. Pieces like these offered ordinary families access to items with decorative elements that were once only accessible to the upper class. Think of how social standing influenced everything back then, even the plates one used. Editor: Absolutely. And the simple, almost primitive designs... It's like folk art meeting geometry! That repetitive wave pattern circling around the dish… it’s not aiming for refinement. It feels earnest and completely unpretentious. Like a hug from the past. Curator: That earthy, reddish tone is typical of earthenware. The decorative patterns would have been applied using readily available materials. Production often took place in smaller workshops serving rural communities rather than larger-scale factories, thus becoming relevant for common use. Editor: Thinking about that red earth now, makes me want to make something similar out of clay. So beautifully rustic, I almost want to pick it up. It would add warmth and coziness to a place! Curator: It truly provides a sense of how art and daily life used to be seamlessly linked for some people. It also proves art and creation is not about complexity, sophistication, or high value. Sometimes it is about accessibility. Editor: Agreed. I am carrying an unexpected fondness after this brief encounter. Beauty does not necessarily live in refinement but often shines in simple pleasures of ordinary moments of life. Thank you for illuminating such a treasure!