Tea Canister 1769

This is a salt-glazed stoneware tea canister made in the United States by Joseph Smith, probably around 1669. Tea was a costly import at this time, and the canister would have been a valuable household item. The decoration is folksy, featuring stylized birds, flowers, and the inscription "Dolly Smith." It is likely that this was a special commission for the Smith family or a presentation piece, and it offers us a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in the early American colonies. The canister is an example of early American stoneware, produced at a time when the colonies were developing their own unique artistic traditions, distinct from those of Europe. To understand this artwork better, we might consult probate inventories and family histories, tracing the Smiths of the 17th century. The meaning of art is contingent on such social and institutional contexts, and it is through these that it acquires its fullest significance.