This amusing vessel is a drinking jug turned upside-down but where the foot would be there is instead a half the figure of a man with broad-brimmed hat and elaborate sleeves. In his hands he holds a pair of gloves and a tall drinking glass. The name in German for this stoneware vessel type is "Sturzkrug". This means that it is a jug which the drinker is obliged to keep hold of until empty to avoid the contents pouring out - as it can only balance when resting on its mouth. Such drinking jugs were used for wine or small quantities of strong beer. The Sturzkrug would have been a more expensive variation of the basic undecorated Trichterhalskrug and would therefore have appealed to social groups such as artisans and merchants. Other examples of the anthropomorphous Sturzkrug are known, but the type is much rarer than the plain funnel-necked drinking jug or even than jugs decorated with applied relief-moulded medallions.
The white stoneware jug was made in Siegburg, an abbey town on the River Sieg about 12km. east of Bonn. There has been a pottery industry in Siegburg from at least 1150, with exports including stoneware from the mid-13th century and a potters' guild from about 1400. The local cream-coloured clay was fine and pure and fuel was freely available in the form of timber from local forests. In the 16th century, there were about fifteen major workshops in Siegburg. It is not known which workshop produced this particular jug. In 1632, Siegburg was destroyed by the Swedes during the Thirty Years' War.
Physical description
Jug of white stoneware with thick off-white ash-glaze with applied moulded and incised detail. Inverted "Trichterhalskrug" (funnel-necked drinking jug), known as a "Sturzkrug", with ovoid upper part in place of the normal foot, in the form of a man shown from waist upwards. The usual ring handle is at the rear. The man wears a broad-brimmed hat turned up at one side. He wears contemporary costume of which the elaborate sleeves bear an incised scale-like pattern. His costume appears to button up the front to a small frilled collar. In his left hand he holds a pair of gloves; in his right, a contemporary style of tall drinking glass ("Stangenglas"), the prunts (applied glass blobs which were both decorative and gave good grip) of which are clearly visible.
Place of Origin
Siegburg, Germany (made)
Date
ca.1550-1585 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
White stoneware with thick off-white ash-glaze with applied moulded and incised detail
Dimensions
Height: 26.1 cm, Width: 10 cm, Depth: 13 cm, Weight: 0.58 kg
Object history note
This jug was made in Siegburg, an abbey town on the River Sieg about 12km. east of Bonn where the river joins the Rhine. It was one of many objects presented to the Museum by Lieut.-Col. Kenneth Dingwall D.S.O through the Art Fund, but its earlier provenance is not recorded.
Historical significance: There has been a pottery industry in Siegburg from at least 1150, with exports including stoneware from the mid-13th century and a potters' guild from about 1400. Most of the workshops were just outside the town walls and by the time this jug was made, there existed about fifteen major workshops consisting of masters from several main potting families, their workmen and the apprentices who served a seven year apprenticeship. It is not known which workshop produced this particular jug. Except for the 1580s when wars caused some potters to move away, the Siegburg industry was at its peak between 1550 and 1632 when the town was destroyed by Swedes in the Thirty Years' War.
The local cream-coloured clay, dug from shallow pits, was fine and pure and required little added sand to temper it ready for firing to a high temperature to make stoneware. Fuel was freely available from local forests although in 16th century, stocks of timber gradually became less plentiful. The jug was thrown on a fast wheel then the handle and moulded head and arms were separately applied to the jug when leather-hard i.e. partially dried. Finally the piece was finished off with incised decoration. Other examples of the anthropomorphous Sturzkrug are known, but the type is much rarer than the undecorated funnel-necked drinking jug or even than those decorated with applied relief-moulded medallions.
Historical context note
Stoneware was ideal for drinking vessels as it is non-porous even when left unglazed and a stronger material than earthenware or glass. This "Sturzkrug" is an amusing variation on the "Trichterhalskrug" or funnel-necked drinking jug. The term "Sturzkrug" means that it is a jug which the drinker is obliged to keep hold of until empty or otherwise the contents would pour out - it can only balance when upturned. Such drinking jugs were used for wine or small quantities of strong beer. The Sturzkrug would have been a more expensive variation of the basic undecorated Trichterhalskrug and would therefore have appealed to social groups such as artisans and merchants.
Descriptive line
Inverted white stoneware drinking jug known as a Sturzkrug with off-white ash glaze and moulded and incised detail, Siegburg, Germany, about 1550-1585.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
David Gaimster, "German Stoneware", London: British Museum, 1997
Cat.no.12
K. Koetschau, "Rheinisches Steinzeug", Munich, 1924
pl.9
E. Klinge, "Siegburger Steinzeug", Kataloge des Hetjens-Museums, Duesseldorf, 1972
Cat. nos.618-622
G. Reineking-von Bock, "Steinzeug", Kataloge des Kunstgewerbemuseums Koeln, IV, Cologne, 3rd ed., 1986
Cat.no.177-178, 234-236
E. Alshut & H.-W. Peine, "Vom Hof zum Schloss - Ausgrabungen und Bauforschung an der Burg und dem Renaissance-Schloss Horst", in "Ein Land Macht Geschichte: Archaeologie in Nordrhein-Westfalen", Schriften zur Bodendenkmalpflege in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Roemisches-Germanisches Museum der Stadt Koeln, Cologne, 1995
P.313 fig. shows a cobalt-blue-painted example excavated at Schloss Horst, Gelsenkirchen, Lower Rhine (male figure wearing Spanish court dress of the second half of the 16th century).
Otto von Falke, "Das Rheinische Steinzeug", vol.I, 1908
Abb.61 on p.71 shows an example of a Siegburg Sturzbecher mounted in silver
Materials
Stoneware
Techniques
Glazed; Moulded; Incised
Subjects depicted
Man; Scale pattern; Stangenglas
Categories
Ceramics; Stoneware
Collection code
CER
