500 Pitchers: Contemporary Expressions of a Classic Form

edited by Suzanne J.E. Tourtillott

Paperback: 420 pages
Publisher: Lark Books (2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1-57990-687-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-57990-687-0
Dimensions: 8.0" x 8.0" x 1.15"
Shipping Weight: 2.54 lbs.

The perfect combination of utility and beauty, the pitcher is an often overlooked but indispensable part of our lives. The 500 striking selections here, created by some of the most gifted artists working in the field today, offer a forward-looking take on this ancient source of inspiration and refreshment. Collectors, ceramists, and art lovers everywhere will delight in the many shapes, styles, techniques, and surface treatments that transform a simple pitcher into a contemporary masterpiece.

From humble washstand jugs to ornate ceremonial vessels, pitchers are uniquely useful and ubiquitous objects whose form and function have withstood the test of time.

Yet within this ancient form are infinite opportunities for artistic exploration, as the 500 stunning selections here attest. Chosen from more than 4,000 entries, they represent the very best of the world's contemporary pottery. Wheel thrown and slab built, porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware, these hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces turn the lowly pitcher into a powerful expression of artistic excellence. Commentaries, some by the artists themselves, help explain how handle and spout, belly and foot come together to determine the personality of each piece.

Consider, for example, David Lloyd Warren's sculptural "Calypso Pitcher #3," which pushes the boundaries of functionalism an dart; the swollen belly of "Aladdin's Pouring Vessel," by Judy Musicant; or the dramatically exaggerated spout of the untitled piece by Lilach Lotan.

Nature has long offered inspiration to potters. Justin Rothshank's "Slab Pitcher #5," with its casual stance and rustic glaze, suggests a tree trunk with a branch stem as a spout. Karen Copensky's "Cape Buffalo Ewer" and Deborah E. Sloan's "Dog Pitcher" are stylized but realistic portrayals of their subjects, while the subtle poise of Michael Kline's "Pitcher" simply but effectively references animal posture.

Some artists favor approaches recalling another time or place. Do-Hee Sung's elegant "Green Bamboo Pitcher" and Adama Sow's "Bogoland" reflect styles and techniques from Asia and Africa, respectively, while Hal and Eleanor Pugh present a covered jug that clings to their own ancestral roots. Other pieces are as fluid as the liquid they are meant to hold. Sandra Black's striking stoneware "Ripple Jugs" distill "elements that suggest the forms of water, its movement in response to landscape and atmospheric events, and how we contain and consume it."