Technical Data on the Extant Piece:
Place of origin: England (made) Rye (made)
Date: 1300-1399
(made)
Artist/Maker:
Unknown (maker)
Materials and
Techniques: Red earthenware and a yellow glaze tinged with green
Credit Line:
Given by Lady Lister
Museum number:
C.343-1919
Gallery location:
Ceramics, Room 138, The Harry and Carol Djanogly Gallery, case A, shelf 5 of
the Virginia and Albert
Museum in London, UK.
Descriptive line:
Red earthenware covered with yellowish lead glaze and green glaze. English (Rye), 14th century. Found
near Maresfield, East Sussex according to Mr.
Alexander.
Physical
description: Aquamanile of red earthenware in the form of a
stag covered with a yellow glaze tinged with green. It has a tubular body and
the antlers lie back to form the handle. The hind legs are missing.
Technical Data on my piece:
Date: the 27th
of July, 2016 (Started July 1st)
Place of Origin: Aethelmearc
(NY, Ithaca
basement)
Medium: Red earthenware
(WC614); iron oxide slip on the body, white glaze
Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 3 in.
Throw two pieces on a wheel; a larger tubular vase and a
smaller bud vase. Wrap loosely in plastic and let dry to leather hard overnight.
Line up the bud vase with the edge of the main body, and inscribe
and then cut out the inside piece.
Score and cover with slip (diluted clay that serves as glue), press well together, and sculpt into one piece.
Carefully roll legs, measure into similar lengths, and
attach to main body with the score and glue method. I also added a small roll
of clay around the base of the leg for extra strength (plus it matches the flared
silhouette of the original legs). Make sure not to trap any pockets of air
anywhere as those can cause explosions when fired.
When the legs are attached, wrap loosely in plastic (in
medieval times it would be wrapped in damp cloth) and rest overnight. The
original only has the front legs, the back ones probably broke off from the
weight of shifting dirt while being buried.
When the legs are nice and firm and support the body well,
start working on the head. I did not throw the head as it is relatively small,
instead I made a pinch pot in the right shape. Remove the part that is at the
neck opening, and use the score and glue method to secure everything together.
I rolled two antlers of similar size and the right length
and sculpted them to the back of the head. I used a piece of semi dry clay to
help keep the wet clay from sagging. I used the score & glue method to
stick the two antlers together, it would also be plausible to make one flat
antler and carve it into two separate staves. I then cut a hole in the rear and
worked the ends of the antlers around it to disguise the edge.
Then I glued on and sculpted the small horns on the antlers,
and finished the rear water intake. From the museum photograph it is hard to
see for sure where the water intake should be, and after careful consideration
of the design I decided this would be the most likely place.
As shown on the extant piece, I then added ears, chest flap,
a mouth and eyes with eyebrows.
Even though white glaze does not match the original clear glaze as much as I would have liked,
the finished Stag Aquamanile emulates the look and function of the original
nicely, and is a pleasure to look at and use.
My interpretation
bisqued and glazed. I
used iron oxide under a white glaze.
The
original, as photographed by
the Victoria & Albert
Museum, London.
. : The Finished Piece : .
Bibliography
Heise, Jennifer (2007)
Hygiene of the Middle Ages and Rennaissance, Volume One: Personal
Grooming
The Compleat Anachronist #136
Metropolitan
Museum of Art (MET): Medieval
Aquamanilia
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aqua/hd_aqua.htm
St. Thomas
Guild: Medieval Table Manners.
http://thomasguild.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html
Virginia & albert Museum
(VA): Stag
aquamanile
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9254/aquamanile-unknown/
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