Jug

Art Historical Context

This unassuming earthenware jug from 15th-century France offers a glimpse into everyday medieval life. Crafted during the late Middle Ages, when France was emerging from the Hundred Years' War, it stands just 5 9/16 x 4 7/16 inches (14.2 x 11.2 cm), perfect for household use like serving water or wine. Earthenware, fired from local clay at relatively low temperatures, was the workhorse of medieval ceramics—durable, affordable, and simply glazed with lead for a subtle sheen, though this example's unglazed surface highlights its rustic authenticity. In the Medieval Art department of the Metropo...