Tankard (schnelle) with Jupiter, Venus and Mars c. 1567 - 1580

This stoneware tankard, known as a ‘schnelle’, was crafted in Germany around 1580 by Anno Knütgen. Its cylindrical body is adorned with incised reliefs under a grey salt glaze, capped with a pewter lid. Notice how the artist employs a vertical composition, structured into distinct registers. Each tier presents classical deities – Jupiter, Venus, and Mars – within ornate, self-contained frames. The figures are rendered with a precise, linear quality that emphasizes contour over volume. Knütgen uses the vessel's form to explore Renaissance ideals through classical allegory. Each god isn't merely a figure but a signifier of power, love, and war, respectively. The arrangement implies a hierarchy, yet the placement on a functional object complicates any definitive reading. This functional design disrupts the traditional iconographic representation of these deities. Consider how the texture and the monochromatic glaze further flatten the surface, reinforcing the piece's engagement with line and form. Ultimately, the tankard challenges the boundaries between the decorative and the symbolic.