Jugs were meant for pouring drinks, but combined with a shallow basin they were also used for washing one’s hands before and in between courses at the dining table. This glass example was made in Venice by the famous glass-blowers on the island of Murano. The decoration in gold leaf and painted enamels was applied after the jug had been shaped and gradually cooled. After decorating, the piece went back into the mouth of the furnace, where the enamels would melt and fuse with the glass surface. Finally, the handle was attached. Once fired, the enamels could not be rubbed off the surface.