Jug thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 54

Jug

1689-1702 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Salt-glazed stoneware with moulded and applied decoration
Brief description
Jug of salt-glazed stoneware with applied and incised decoration, Westerwald, 1689-1702.
Physical description
Jug of salt-glazed stoneware with applied and incised decoration. On the front is a medallion with the bust portrait of King William III inscribed 'G R' and 'WILHELMVS : DG. MA. BRIT. FRANC. ET. HIB. REX. &'. Globular body with a horizontally reeded cylindrical neck and loop handle. On either side of the medallion are incised stems terminating in applied foliated devices, symmetrically arranged.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.7cm
  • Diameter: 11.1cm
Dimensions checked: measured; 15/07/1999 by DW
Marks and inscriptions
'G R' and 'WILHELMVS : DG. MA. BRIT. FRANC. ET. HIB. REX. &' (Inscribed)
Gallery label
British Galleries: William III and Mary II
The English Parliament invited the Dutch Protestant Stadholder, William, Prince of Orange, to take the throne in 1688. James II had faced increasing hostility to his Catholicism and had fled the country. William and his wife Mary, the daughter of James II, became joint monarchs of England, Scotland and Ireland. This is sometimes known as the 'Glorious Revolution'. William was never very popular in England because he was a foreigner, but Mary was widely loved. William took charge of political affairs while Mary took the lead in matters of religion.

This stoneware beer mug was an early attempt by the Westerwald potters in Germany to establish a commercial export market in commemorative pottery. William III had wide appeal to Protestants in Europe who saw him as a defence against the Catholic might of Louis XIV of France.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street
Subjects depicted
Summary
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.
Collection
Accession number
3752-1901

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Record createdJuly 14, 1999
Record URL
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