Toby Mug Set (2 pieces) c. 1936

These two Toby Mugs were designed by John Cutting, illustrating a deep connection to cultural traditions surrounding drink and merriment. Notice the prominent use of grapevines, an ancient symbol of fertility, abundance, and, of course, the intoxicating pleasures of wine. The jolly figures holding their drinks evoke Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, ecstasy, and theatre. Consider how similar imagery appears in ancient Greek symposium scenes, or even medieval depictions of peasant revelry. Throughout time, the act of communal drinking and celebration has remained a powerful expression of social cohesion. Yet, these mugs also hint at the darker side of such revelry. Is there an echo of the Dionysian frenzy, the blurring of boundaries between self and other? The collective unconscious stirs, and a sense of liberation and primal release is experienced. Thus, the Toby Mug becomes more than a drinking vessel. It is a vessel carrying centuries of cultural memory. A reminder of our complex relationship with pleasure, community, and the eternal human desire to escape the confines of everyday life.