tankard

Summary

Large cylindrical tankard with turned everted foot and plain loop handle with leaf-moulded terminals. Body decorated with pattern of finger-trailed looping bands of blue, brown and white slip against dull yellow slip ground, enclosed within borders of blue and brown slip bands above foot and beneath rim.

Display Label

Clay Clay is an ancient, universal material. Dug out of the ground, it is basic stuff, formed by the elements, earth, water, air and fire. Its use is one of the oldest human artforms. Clay responds to the touch of your hand, it can be pushed and pulled, squeezed and pinched. Clay has no natural form of its own, and can be shaped into almost anything. It is tactile, inviting, immediate and intimate. When soft, it is marked by the slightest touch, yet once fired, it becomes fixed and permanent. A clay pot will survive for thousands of years, bearing the thumbprint of the potter who made it. Some makers are drawn by clay's physical appeal, its sensuous and tactile qualities. For others it is simply a means to an end, an incredibly diverse and expressive medium with the potential to do almost anything.