Mustard pot or milk pot 1763 - 1764

This silver mustard or milk pot was crafted by Jean-Baptiste-François Chéret in the 18th century. Note its swirling fluted form, crowned with a lifelike rendering of clustered leaves. The leaves atop the lid evoke images of nature and growth. Motifs of foliage have often symbolized life, renewal, and prosperity across cultures. In ancient Greece, for instance, laurel wreaths signified victory and status. And yet, these motifs also recall something darker. Consider the recurring image of the "Green Man" in medieval art – a face emerging from foliage, a symbol of nature's untamed force, and perhaps, a reminder of our primal connection to the earth. The leaves perched upon this vessel, thus, oscillate between connotations of growth and those of the wild, untamed aspects of nature, engaging our collective memory.