An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Ewerc. 1540–67
Saint-Porchaire
A French factory certainly active before 1542 and the probable source of a highly individual type of lead-glazed earthenware. These pieces are decorative objects of finely grained off-white paste with intricate inlaid patterns of strapwork made by impressing the clay with metal punches and filling the cavities with clays of contrasting colors, red, yellow and brown; they are covered with a transparent lead glaze.
An example of one of the most extravagant wares of this kind, this ewer is decorated with applied masks and frogs as well as a variety of stamped and inlaid designs. The shape and patterns reflect the metalwork of the time—the final period of this artistic pottery.
The green tree frog was one of the symbols of French King Henri II, indicating that this ewer may have either been made for the king or one of his courtiers.
lead-glazed, white-paste earthenware with inlaid slip decoration
Overall: 35.6 x 13.7 cm (14 x 5 3/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Once, in a sunlit workshop bustling with creativity, there lived a skilled artisan who poured his heart into every piece of pottery he crafted. Among his works was an ewer, a vessel so extraordinary that it captured the essence of his time. This ewer was not merely an object; it was a story waiting to be told.
The surface of the ewer danced with vibrant designs, as if the very spirit of whimsy had come to life. Applied masks peeked out playfully from its curves, their expressions inviting viewers to join in a silent conversation. Tiny frogs, meticulously sculpted, seemed to leap about, embodying nature's joyous spirit in every glance. This wasn't mere decoration; it was a creative dialogue between the artist and his world.
As the artist shaped the ewer, he looked to the rich metalwork that inspired him, the final echoes of a significant era in artistic pottery. The shapes and patterns etched on its surface told tales of a legacy, of techniques handed down through generations. Each stamped and inlaid design wove together a tapestry of cultural heritage—an homage to the craftsmanship that had come before him.
This ewer stood as a testament to human ingenuity and the beauty of storytelling, inviting each passerby to pause and ponder the stories that lay within its ornate details. It was a reminder that art, in all its forms, captures the essence of life itself—a celebration of the shapes, the colors, and the imaginative spirits that fill our world.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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