Pitcher 1857 - 1890

This white ironstone pitcher was crafted by Davenport, a Staffordshire pottery firm, in the 19th century. Its surface blossoms with motifs of wheat and flowers, symbols deeply intertwined with prosperity, fertility, and the cycle of life. Wheat, since antiquity, has signified agricultural wealth and divine provision. Think of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, often depicted with sheaves of wheat. Similarly, flowers represent the ephemeral beauty and renewal inherent in nature. These symbols migrate through time; in medieval tapestries, floral patterns evoke the 'locus amoenus,' the idyllic garden, a sanctuary for the soul. Consider how these archetypes reappear, transformed yet recognizable, across epochs. The wheat, once a token of pagan rites, finds its way into Christian iconography as a Eucharistic symbol, representing the bread of life. The pure white of the pitcher amplifies these associations, suggesting purity and spiritual awakening. The enduring resonance of these motifs speaks to our collective memory, a primal connection to the earth's bounty and the rhythms of existence.