Corporative Pitcher

A faience “patronymic” pitcher from Durlach, depicting a weaver at his loom, framed by two superimposed rocaille patterns on each side, and specifying the names of the patrons : Michael Schum(a)cher and Maria Catharina Margstahferin. A border of geometrical motifs defines the upper edge of the decoration. This type of loom decoration is a speciality of the Durlach factory (north of Karlsruhe). The names of the couple who commissioned the work are usually shown, the woman’s name being extended by the suffix “in”, which is typical of Germanic felinity. This type of scene (with the patronyms) was produced from the last quarter of the 18th century until the middle of the 19th century. However, only two Durlach jugs with weaver decoration are known to us: one dated 1818, in the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe (inv. N°V 10945), the other, dated 1804, in the private collection of Günter Widmann in Durlach (inv. BK 067). The dating of our jug is based not only on the rocaille motifs framing the scene, but also on the very simple upper border and the flowering twigs on the sides, which place it, like the other two jugs, around the beginning of the 19th century. The very high quality of the Durlach enamel should be emphasised, with a very soft silkiness, the Germanic equivalent of that of Moustiers in France.

Period: early 19th century

Dimensions :
Height : 21,5 cm
Width : 17 cm

Condition : chips at the foot and at the upper edge.