Jug with a personification of Hope c. 1560 - 1580

This jug with a personification of Hope was crafted by Anno Knütgen in the late 16th century. The jug's form presents a full-bodied sphere that tapers to a slender neck, crowned with a pewter lid. Its stoneware body exhibits a creamy, neutral tone, a blank canvas for the detailed relief medallions. Knütgen's choice of stoneware, with its inherent ruggedness, introduces a tactile element. The circular medallions disrupt the jug's smooth surface, each presenting a vignette of Hope amidst symbols of virtue and aspiration. The jug exists within a cultural framework where everyday objects were imbued with symbolic meaning. It is an exploration of how material form and surface decoration can intersect to create objects that communicate complex ideas about human values and aspirations. This jug invites us to consider the interplay between utility and representation, where the act of using the object becomes an act of engaging with its symbolic content.