This was made in the USA?
Yes! You can see how nineteenth-century potters in the USA were looking to eastern models for design inspiration.At this time, all things Japanese were popular. While the decorations are Japanese in style, the form of the vessel recalls islamic ceramics. This combination of exotic influences is typical of the Aesthetic Movement.Many americans participated in a trend known as "China Mania," which was the collecting of ceramics as works of art to be displayed in the home.
What was this used for?
This ewer was really designed to be looked at. The form is reminiscent of a vessel used to pour water, but this would be referred to as "Art Pottery."The company, Greenwood Art Pottery, was known for their highly decorative designs, in this case, influenced by Japanese art.
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Tell me more.
These vessels are both great examples of Aesthetic Movement design. They combine influences from Japan and the Near East.
Steam-powered ships and trains allowed ordinary people to travel further around the world. Because of this, design grew ever more eclectic! Also, wood pulp paper made printing cheaper and therefore there were more articles and images of Asian and Near Eastern art and culture. Designers freely appropriated them to create new, or fashionable, works of art without knowing or understanding the original context.
Tell me more.
You may have noticed that this porcelain work includes gilding. This type of decorative element would have set it apart from the rest of the blue and white objects. The delicate white flower details were added using a technique called "pate-sur-pate", where white slip is built up in layers, making the petals appear almost translucent.
This ewer was produced by the company Greenwood Art Pottery Company in Trenton, New Jersey. The city was a major site for pottery manufacturing in the 19th century.
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Why was this made in New Jersey?
The city of Trenton was once a hub of manufacturing and home to a few very popular porcelain factories including Greenwood, represented here, and the more famous, Lenox.
Trenton became an industrial powerhouse in the early 19th century thanks to its proximity to the Delaware River for shipping, as well as for the construction of canals and railways.
