Mug 1745 - 1755

This earthenware mug was made in England during the early 18th century by John Astbury, a prominent figure in the Staffordshire pottery industry. Astbury's pieces represent a shift in ceramic production, moving away from purely functional items towards more decorative and refined wares for an emerging middle class. This mug, with its marbled effect achieved through colored slips, speaks to a burgeoning aesthetic interest in imitating natural materials. The mottled surface mirrors the era's fascination with geological patterns and textures, reflecting the increasing colonial reach into the earth's resources. Consider the role of this mug: what kind of person would have drunk from it? What does it mean to consume from a vessel that imitates the earth? This mug transforms something elemental into an object of daily use, reflecting how the industrial revolution began to recast our relationship with the world around us.