Vase
1876–80
Medium
Probably earthenware
Dimensions
H. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm); Diam. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm)
Classification
Vase
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Edgar J. Kaufmann Foundation Gift, 1969
Accession Number
69.35
Art Historical Context
This elegant vase from Chelsea Keramic Art Works exemplifies the burgeoning American art pottery movement of the late 19th century. Produced between 1876 and 1880, it stands at 12¾ inches tall with a slender 3¼-inch diameter, crafted likely earthenware—a versatile, low-fired ceramic prized for its warmth and workability. Chelsea Keramic, based in Massachusetts, was a pioneering studio that elevated everyday objects into artistic statements, reflecting the era's Aesthetic Movement emphasis on beauty in design amid rapid industrialization. In the context of post-Civil War America, such vases re...