MORRISON HECKSCHER: This Century Vase and its Centennial Pedestal were specially created for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. This celebration of the nation’s one-hundredth birthday was a watershed event for American ceramics. Curator Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen.

ALICE COONEY FRELINGHUYSEN: This provided an opportunity for potteries to try to, for the first time, truly show a national identity, and to compete on an international scale. To do that, many of them hired artists.

MORRISON HECKSCHER: Union Porcelain Works in Brooklyn’s Green Point, New York, hired the German sculptor Karl Mueller, who designed these impressive works. The motifs on the vase truly convey America’s character.

ALICE COONEY FRELINGHUYSEN: As you can see, the handles are the heads of bisons. On each side, there's a profile portrait of George Washington. And around the base are relief vignettes, six of them, all representing different events in America's history.

MORRISON HECKSCHER: The column’s decorative theme, on the other hand, derives from Greek drama. You’ll see relief scenes from the tragedy of Electra.

ALICE COONEY FRELINGHUYSEN: But it's also looking to Wedgewood which was arguably one of the most prominent potteries in England. Americans would've known them well it would have been considered a high standard. . and the jasperware that they made, which was characterized by low relief designs . . . on a pale-colored ground -- in this case, this wonderful apricot ground.

MORRISON HECKSCHER: This vase remained unpainted because of minor firings flaws. But you can see another smaller version nearby, embellished with green and red vegetation.