-
Jug
Unknown - Enlarge image
Jug
- Place of origin:
Westerwald (made)
- Date:
1689-1702 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Salt-glazed stoneware with moulded and applied decoration
- Credit Line:
Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street
- Museum number:
3752-1901
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 54b, case 14
Object Type
Though a typical example of the standard 17th-century globular pottery ale-mug shape, these stoneware versions made in the Westerwald area of Germany were equipped with heavily flanged rims to accept hinged pewter lids. In practice, no mugs destined for England seem to have been mounted in metal.
Design & Designing
Scope for decoration on grey Westerwald stoneware was strictly limited. The earliest technique - taken from Raeren (now Belgium) by potters migrating to the Westerwald at the end of the 16th century - consisted of applied moulded decoration. By the end of the 17th century, the quality of clay and moulded ornament had improved to the point where pots might be left in their natural drab colour, without the addition of purple or blue. The thin salt-glaze did nothing to obscure the fine detail of medallions such as this example, which was probably closely copied from a coin or medal.
People
After the sudden departure of the Catholic James II in the palace coup of 1688, William, Prince of Orange, was invited by Parliament to become King along with his Stuart wife Mary. The recent Dutch Wars were soon forgotten, and as a renowned military leader and champion of the Protestant cause, William was a popular figure in Northern Europe. Thus there was a ready market for ale mugs with his portrait. Though the inscription still hopefully repeats the claim to the kingdom of France, his victories over the French took place in Ireland, not in France.
