We had actually hoped to see a nineteenth century stoneware face harvest jug, made by an enslaved African American in Edgefield, South Carolina, along with a stereopticon photograph that sold at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland in July of 2017. Both objects had been on display at the Met Breuer, as part of the Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture 1963-2017 exhibition, but we learned that the temporary exhibit had just been replaced on December 2 with another exhibit.
According to the MET Breuer, "The exhibition presented the extraordinary and previously unknown sculptures of acclaimed American artist Jack Whitten (1939-2018). Whitten's sculptures, which he first created in New York and later at his home on Crete, consist of carved wood, often in combination with found materials sourced from his local environment, including bone, marble, paper, glass, nails and fishing line. Inspired by art-historical sources rooted in Africa, the Ancient Mediterranean, and the Southern United States, Whitten's sculptures not only address the themes of place, memory, family, and migration, they also give expression to a transitional, cosmopolitan perspective.
Forty of Whitten's sculptures were joined by 18 of the artist's paintings, including his entire Black Monolith series, dedicated to African American leaders in art and politics, and by 16 works of African, Mycenaean, Minoan, Cycladic, and American art from The Met's distinguished collection."
Although, aside from the utilitarian pottery, we also saw most of the Met's collection of American art pottery, much of which was acquired not too long ago from New York City collector, Robert A. Ellison, Jr. Likewise, the Ellison Collection was also just a topic of a book published in 2018 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, titled, American Art Pottery: The Robert A. Ellison, Jr. Collection.
Overall, it would seem that red earthenware has been a subject of great interest for the museum for at least 100 years now, especially based on the remarkable assemblage of sgraffito manufactured in southeastern Pennsylvania in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Most of these pieces were acquired before 1950, when this brand of American production was highly sought after by early collectors and museums. For that reason, I actually regard the museum's selection of sgraffito as one of the three best public collections in the country, along with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Winterthur Museum in Delaware.
In any case, the Met's comprehensive collection of red earthenware and stoneware is wonderful from both aesthetic and academic backgrounds; for instance, the museum owns great examples of wares produced in northern New England, Massachusetts, southern New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and likely other states, as well. But it should be noted that the Met also displays terrific examples of domestic ceramics and porcelain, as well as Rockingham and flint enamel wares from Vermont and the Midwest.
Nevertheless, I have already written about many of the objects owned by the Met; however, I have posted a few of the pieces that we enjoyed from our most recent visit. Some of these examples are repeats from previous posts, while other objects are new to this website.
Metropolitan Museum of Art's Collection of American Pottery
My Niece and Nephew Pictured with Some of the MET's Red Earthenware Collection
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My Nephew Jason Studying Some of the MET's Excellent Pottery from Pennsylvania
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My Niece Alexis with a few Great Examples of Slip-Decorated Pottery from North Carolina
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My Niece Alexis with Two Stoneware Face Jugs from Edgefield, SC
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(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Sugar Bowl
Made by John Nice (1785-1867) in Montgomery County, PA
Circa 1830
Stands 5 3/4" Tall
Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest in 1933
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
(Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Bear Made in Pennsylvania
Circa 1850-1875
Stands 6" Tall
Acquired by the Museum in 1980
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Flowerpot and Saucer
Manufactured by James Pottery (1796-1863) in Chester County, PA
Made for Tracey Lewis of Newtown, PA in 1824
Stands 9 7/8" Tall
Purchased by the Museum in 1974
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Plate
Attributed to Solomon Grimm (1787-1847) in Berks County, PA
Circa 1815-1825
Purchased by the Museum in 1917
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Plate
Attributed to Solomon Grimm (1787-1847) in Berks County, PA
Circa 1824
Purchased by the Museum in 1917
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Plate
Attributed to Solomon Grimm (1787-1847) in Berks County, PA
Circa 1816
Purchased by the Museum in 1917
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Bowl
Attributed to John Bell (1800-1880) in Waynesboro, PA
Made for the Snow Hill Society About 1840
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Sgraffito Red Earthenware Plate Attributed to Pennsylvania
Measures 10 1/2" in Diameter
Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest in 1933
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Late-18th or Early-19th Century Red Earthenware Mug
Probably Made in Central CT or Coastal Mass.
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Red Earthenware Sugar Bowl
Possibly Made by Daving Haring (1801-1871) in Bucks County, PA
Circa 1830-1840
Stands 7" Tall and Measures 10 1/2" in Diameter
Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest in 1933
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Early-19th Century Moravian Red Earthenware Squirrel Bottle
Attributed to Rudolph Christ (1750-1833) in Salem, NC
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Stoneware Snake Jug
Made at the Cornwall (1814-1890) and Wallace Kirkpatrick (1828-1896) Pottery in Anna, IL
Circa 1877
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Stoneware Water Cooler
Made in Strasburg, VA, Possibly Made by Richard Franklin (Polk) Bell
Circa 1870-1890
Stands 14 1/2" Tall
Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest in 1933
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Stoneware Presentation Vase
Made at the Cornwall (1814-1890) and Wallace Kirkpatrick (1828-1896) Pottery in Anna, IL
Circa 1886
Acquired from Jeffrey S. Evans and Associates in 2017
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
19th Century Stoneware Jar Made by Dave Drake in Edgefield, SC
Inscribed "This jar is to Mr Segler who keeps the bar in orange burg / for Mr Edwards a Gentlemen - who formerly kept Mr thos bacons horses / April 21 1858."
Stands 25 5/8" Tall
Dr. Arthur Goldberg Collection (1929-2017)
Dr. Arthur Goldberg Collection (1929-2017)
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Some of the Met's Remarkable Red Earthenware from Virginia
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Photo Courtesy: Metropolitan Museum of Art
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