Bartmann jug

Object Details

Label Text

Beginning in the 16th century German potters produced saltglaze stoneware, which they exported all over Europe. Fired to a great hardness, the pots were covered with a saltglaze that produced a rich brown color, similar to bronze. Popular shapes included round jugs used to serve beer. The most distinctive were those with human faces on or just below the neck known as Bellarmines or Bartmann jugs. The best date from the second half of the 16th century, but they continued to be made in the 17th century and even later in some places.

Description

Large stoppered brown colored ovoid shaped vessel with a burnished body, a handle and an impression of a bearded face just below the neck.

Provenance

Walshaert collection, Antwerp, before 1930

Content Statement

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Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program

ca. 1800

Object number

89-13-73

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Ceramics

Medium

Ceramic, salt glaze

Dimensions

H x W: 48.2 x 27.3 cm (19 x 10 3/4 in.)

Geography

Germany

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Congo

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Object Name

bellarmine

National Museum of African Art

Topic

male

Record ID

nmafa_89-13-73

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys77d2de18f-4876-4087-8d48-01c248468c61