Vinegar Jug c. 1936

This watercolor of a Vinegar Jug was rendered by Fred Weiss, sometime between 1855 and 1995. The original object, just four inches high, would have been made of stoneware, a humble material fired at high temperature to make it impervious to liquids. The jug’s grey-blue color is achieved through a salt glaze, a technique refined over centuries in workshops across Europe and North America. Potters would throw salt into the kiln during firing, creating a vapor that vitrifies on the ceramic surface. Each vessel emerged uniquely patterned by the alchemy of fire. Vinegar jugs like these would have been common in 18th-century households, a vital part of food preservation. They remind us that even the most ordinary objects have deep cultural roots, entwined with labor, knowledge, and necessity. Weiss’s loving depiction elevates this everyday object, inviting us to consider the beauty in utility and the artistry inherent in craft.