Jug with Assyrian-inspired decoration
Following the excavation of Assyrian palaces in the mid-nineteenth century, ancient Mesopotamian imagery began to be used in European decorative arts, including jewelry and ceramics. Publicity in the form of news coverage and popular books around the excavations, removal of many sculptures from sites in northern Iraq to England and France, and public spectacles such as the reconstructed ‘Nineveh Court’ in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, London, fostered a fascination with Assyria and Assyrian art among the Victorian public.
Decorative ceramics were an affordable luxury, and the appearance of multiple designs incorporating Assyrian details in the mid-nineteenth century reflects the popular impact of the discoveries. Doulton Lambeth, based in Lambeth, London, produced ceramics in popular contemporary styles and finishes, in this case glazed stoneware, and gave artists and designers an unusual degree of freedom to develop varied elaborate decoration. The result was a huge range of unique designs, including many that incorporated a variety of ancient iconography. In this case, the design combines elements from a royal lion hunt and military scenes, mainly of Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883-859 BCE), with armored soldiers taking the king’s place in the hunting chariot and an enemy soldier being beheaded. The placement of dead bodies high in the picture field, along with a vulture carrying entrails, is based on elements in the reliefs themselves. A fruiting date palm tree, pictured near the handle, is drawn from images of Assyrian campaigns in Babylonia, southern Iraq. Above the main field, the dark green glazed area around the neck of the jug features kneeling winged bulls flanking a palmette. These are taken from miniature incised designs seen on the clothing of the king in the reliefs. In its ancient setting, the palmette in the composition acted as a ‘sacred tree’ probably representing the abundance of Assyria.
Decorative ceramics were an affordable luxury, and the appearance of multiple designs incorporating Assyrian details in the mid-nineteenth century reflects the popular impact of the discoveries. Doulton Lambeth, based in Lambeth, London, produced ceramics in popular contemporary styles and finishes, in this case glazed stoneware, and gave artists and designers an unusual degree of freedom to develop varied elaborate decoration. The result was a huge range of unique designs, including many that incorporated a variety of ancient iconography. In this case, the design combines elements from a royal lion hunt and military scenes, mainly of Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883-859 BCE), with armored soldiers taking the king’s place in the hunting chariot and an enemy soldier being beheaded. The placement of dead bodies high in the picture field, along with a vulture carrying entrails, is based on elements in the reliefs themselves. A fruiting date palm tree, pictured near the handle, is drawn from images of Assyrian campaigns in Babylonia, southern Iraq. Above the main field, the dark green glazed area around the neck of the jug features kneeling winged bulls flanking a palmette. These are taken from miniature incised designs seen on the clothing of the king in the reliefs. In its ancient setting, the palmette in the composition acted as a ‘sacred tree’ probably representing the abundance of Assyria.
Artwork Details
- Title: Jug with Assyrian-inspired decoration
- Period: Victorian
- Date: ca. 1891–1914
- Culture: British
- Medium: Stoneware
- Dimensions: H. 6 11/16 in. (17 cm)
- Credit Line: Henrietta and Christopher McCall Collection, Purchase, Bequest of Henrie Jo Barth, and Museum Acquisitions and Josephine Lois Berger-Nadler Endowment Funds, 2023
- Object Number: 2023.663
- Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
ca. 4th century BCE
ca. 9th century BCE
ca. 604–562 BCE
ca. 8th–7th century BCE
ca. early 1st millennium BCE
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.