Pitcher 1830 - 1860

Editor: This is an earthenware pitcher from sometime between 1830 and 1860. What really strikes me is the almost chocolatey glaze and the raised relief decorations. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to how this seemingly simple utilitarian object becomes a powerful vehicle for constructing and disseminating a particular narrative. This pitcher, likely made for the burgeoning middle class, elevates George Washington, visually associating him with nation-building through imagery related to stonemasonry. Editor: So it's not just a decorative piece? Curator: Exactly. Think about how history is memorialized and mythologized through objects like this. Who is included, who is excluded? Consider, for instance, the absence of enslaved people whose labor underpinned Washington's wealth and the very foundations of the nation. The relief tells a sanitized version of the American story. Editor: I see what you mean. It's interesting to think about the stories that everyday objects can tell. Curator: Yes, and who gets to tell them and from what perspective? Also note that objects such as this were also distributed internationally, serving as cultural ambassadors of sorts and often presenting very selective, sometimes distorted, pictures of life in the United States. Editor: It reframes how I see even seemingly benign objects. Curator: Indeed, objects often tell multiple stories – ones of power, privilege, and the constant negotiation of cultural identity. We learn about aesthetics but need to remember power structures as well. Editor: I never thought a pitcher could be so… complex! Thanks for showing me this context. Curator: Absolutely! Engaging with art through a critical lens helps us understand its role in shaping societal narratives.