Mug

Manufacturer Union Porcelain Works American

ca. 1876

Not on view

Late nineteenth-century American ceramics demonstrate a playful preoccupation with alcohol. The Union Porcelain Works alone produced several renditions of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and revelry, and King Gambrinus, the mythical inventor of beer. While images of these mythical figures celebrate drink, this mug illustrates the dangers of over imbibing. On one register, a young newspaper boy and dog stand beneath a sign advertising "HOT RUM." On the next, a policeman with a stick grabs the collar of a disheveled young man. More playful than moralizing, this mug exemplifies the Union Porcelain Work’s humorous approach to domestic porcelain in the last quarter of the nineteenth-century.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Mug
Designer: Karl L. H. Müller (American, 1820–1887)
Manufacturer: Union Porcelain Works (American, 1863–1922)
Date: ca. 1876
Geography: Made in Brooklyn, New York, United States
Culture: American
Medium: Porcelain
Dimensions: Height: 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
Credit Line: The Florence I. Balasny-Barnes Collection, Gift of Florence I. Balasny-Barnes, 2008
Object Number: 2025.794.10
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

Century Vase, Karl L. H. Müller American, Porcelain, American — Century Vase
Karl L. H. Müller
Union Porcelain Works
1877

Jubal and Miriam, William Jay Bolton, Stained glass window; vitreous glass paint, enamel paint, silver stain, American — Jubal and Miriam
William Jay Bolton
John Bolton
1843–48

Mug, Karl L. H. Müller American, Porcelain, American — Mug
Designer Designed by Karl L. H. Müller
Manufacturer Manufactured by Union Porcelain Works
ca. 1863

Centennial Pedestal, Karl L. H. Müller American, Porcelain, American — Centennial Pedestal
Designer Designed by Karl L. H. Müller
Manufacturer Manufactured by Union Porcelain Works
1876

Pilgrim vase, Union Porcelain Works American, Stoneware, American — Pilgrim vase
Manufacturer Union Porcelain Works
Designer Karl L. H. Müller
Decorator Karl L. H. Müller
1876

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.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.