Pitcher, "Alsatian" line

Chesapeake Pottery

ca. 1891–92 · Semi-porcelain ware · The American Wing

The Chesapeake Pottery was an important late-19th and early-20th century firm located in Baltimore, Maryland. The pottery created a number of novel glazes and forms during the 1880s and ‘90s, including the line to which this pitcher belongs, the then-new Avalon china body. This slip-cast pitcher is decorated in the "Alsatian" pattern, distinguished by its allover transfer-printed, floral decoration further embellished with portraits in gold enamel. This was part of a larger toilet set decorated with scenes from "The Merchant of Venice"; the two sides depict portraits of Jessica and Portia painted in gold enamel in the central reserve.

Artist

Chesapeake Pottery

Date

ca. 1891–92

Medium

Semi-porcelain ware

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Emma and Jay A. Lewis, 2015