Jug 1542 - 1555

Editor: So, here we have a ceramic jug, crafted sometime between 1542 and 1555 by Paul Preuning. It’s currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The figuration and colours strike me – they are unusual for a jug. The attention to detail with characters, their interactions and ornate embellishments are what make this Renaissance Italianate piece pop out! What story do you think this tells us, through clay and colour? Curator: Ah, this jug sings of stories, doesn’t it? Look closely. Can you almost hear the echoes of grand narratives swirling around it? It is as if Preuning captured echoes of mythology and Renaissance life, pressing it into clay and glazing it with vibrant hues. I imagine artisans sitting and discussing the scenes they saw portrayed in frescoes on the ceilings as well as their desire to give everyday scenes meaning and historical gravitas. Notice the tiered composition, almost like a manuscript illumination turned three-dimensional! Does it suggest to you a journey or perhaps a layered narrative? Editor: Yes! That is what made me initially so curious. It reminds me a bit of reading, in fact. What about the material itself? How does the ceramic medium affect the interpretation, would you say? Curator: Well, it brings an element of…everyday-ness, I think! Something grand being rendered in something quotidian. Imagine serving wine from this! A pinch of pomp! Ceramic brings a tactile, grounded quality, almost domesticating the epic tales depicted. Editor: It's fascinating how the material and the imagery play off each other. Something seemingly functional, elevated to an object of high art and storytelling. I’ll never look at a jug the same way! Curator: Nor I! Every object whispers secrets if we pause to listen. And isn't that the true magic of art?