Bartmann jug
Encyclopedia
A Bartmann jug also called Bellarmine jug, is a type of decorated stoneware
that was manufactured in Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in the Cologne
region in what is today western Germany
. The signature decorative detail was a bearded face mask appearing on the lower neck of the vessel.
They were made as jug
s, bottle
s and pitcher
s in various sizes and for a multitude of uses, including storage of food or drink, decanting wine and transporting goods.
and the early modern period
and was shipped to markets in Northern and Eastern Europe, the British Isles and later to colonies in North America and Asia. One of the largest centers of stoneware production was located in the Rhineland
around the city of Cologne
and the nearby towns of Altenrath, Siegburg
and Frechen
. Like other German stoneware of the period, it was characterized by relief decoration through the use of mould techniques. Various patterns and motifs were used throughout different periods and regions, and one of the most distinct and well-known was the bearded facemask (German: Bartmaske) used most frequently by Cologne and especially Frechen potters in the 16th and 17th centuries to decorate the necks of stoneware bottles, jugs and pitchers. The image of the bearded face is believed to have originated in the mythical wild man
creature, popular in northern European folklore from the 14th century, and later appearing as an illustration on everything from manuscript illuminations to metalworkings.
The popular alternative name "Bellarmine" is recorded earliest in 1634, and is in popular tradition associated with the cardinal Robert Bellarmine
(1542-1621), a fierce opponent of Protestantism in the Low Countries and northern Germany. The reason for the association with Bellarmino is not entirely clear but was possibly conceived by Dutch and English Protestants to ridicule the cardinal. Another possibility is his anti-alcohol stance.
of royalty, noble families or towns. Many other type of ornamental patterns were used including sobering religious maxims such as DRINCK VND EZT GODEZ NIT VERGEZT, “Eat and drink, forget not God”. The design of the face masks, or Bartmänner, went through a design change during the 17th century as they "became progressively debased and notably grotesque".
routinely used Bartmann jugs to transport mercury
, evidence of which has been found at shipwreck sites in the North Sea
and as far away as Western Australia
. Frechen Bartmann bottles dating from the mid 17th century have been found in graves of native inhabitants in colonial North America, near the Warren River
in Rhode Island
and in Camden, Virginia. Among the finds of period shipwrecks, Bartmann jugs frequently appear among the finds. A Bartmann bottle donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London was most likely a bottle salvaged from the wreck of the mid-16th century warship Mary Rose
in 1840.
In the 17th century Bartmann jugs were employed as witch bottle
s, a popular type of magic item which was filled with various objects such as human urine, hair and magical charms, which were supposed to benefit their owners or harm their enemies. Bottles with malevolent-looking face masks, typical of the period, were routinely chosen for this very purpose.
The Bartmann jugs were a signature product of Frechen, but their popularity resulted in imitations made in Raeren
and Siegburg
. They were manufactured in several locations in England
, either by English potters copying German patterns or by immigrant Germans. In the late 19th century, during a revival of German stoneware-making, Bartmann jugs were reproduced based on illustrations of museum collections. Attempted forgeries were discovered in England in the 1990s.
Stoneware
Stoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware with a fine texture. Stoneware is made from clay that is then fired in a kiln, whether by an artisan to make homeware, or in an industrial kiln for mass-produced or specialty products...
that was manufactured in Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in the Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
region in what is today western Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The signature decorative detail was a bearded face mask appearing on the lower neck of the vessel.
They were made as jug
Jug
Jug may refer to:* Jug , a vessel for liquids* Jug , used for rhythmic bass accompaniment* Jug , cross breed between a Pug and a Jack Russell Terrier...
s, bottle
Bottle
A bottle is a rigid container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth". By contrast, a jar has a relatively large mouth or opening. Bottles are often made of glass, clay, plastic, aluminum or other impervious materials, and typically used to store liquids such as water, milk, soft...
s and pitcher
Pitcher (container)
A pitcher is a container with a spout used for storing and pouring contents which are liquid in form. Generally a pitcher also has a handle, which makes pouring easier.A ewer is a vase-shaped pitcher, often decorated, with a base and a flaring spout...
s in various sizes and for a multitude of uses, including storage of food or drink, decanting wine and transporting goods.
Origins
Stoneware was a key export product of Germany in the late Middle AgesLate Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
and the early modern period
Early modern period
In history, the early modern period of modern history follows the late Middle Ages. Although the chronological limits of the period are open to debate, the timeframe spans the period after the late portion of the Middle Ages through the beginning of the Age of Revolutions...
and was shipped to markets in Northern and Eastern Europe, the British Isles and later to colonies in North America and Asia. One of the largest centers of stoneware production was located in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
around the city of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and the nearby towns of Altenrath, Siegburg
Siegburg
--122.148.78.228 05:06, 14 November 2011 Siegburg is a city in the district of Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany...
and Frechen
Frechen
Frechen is a town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Frechen was first mentioned in 877. It is situated at the western Cologne city border....
. Like other German stoneware of the period, it was characterized by relief decoration through the use of mould techniques. Various patterns and motifs were used throughout different periods and regions, and one of the most distinct and well-known was the bearded facemask (German: Bartmaske) used most frequently by Cologne and especially Frechen potters in the 16th and 17th centuries to decorate the necks of stoneware bottles, jugs and pitchers. The image of the bearded face is believed to have originated in the mythical wild man
Wild man
The wild man is a mythical figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe, comparable to the satyr or faun type in classical mythology and to Silvanus, the Roman god of the woodlands.The defining characteristic of the figure is its "wildness"; from the 12th century...
creature, popular in northern European folklore from the 14th century, and later appearing as an illustration on everything from manuscript illuminations to metalworkings.
The popular alternative name "Bellarmine" is recorded earliest in 1634, and is in popular tradition associated with the cardinal Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation...
(1542-1621), a fierce opponent of Protestantism in the Low Countries and northern Germany. The reason for the association with Bellarmino is not entirely clear but was possibly conceived by Dutch and English Protestants to ridicule the cardinal. Another possibility is his anti-alcohol stance.
Iconography
The defining feature of Bartmann jugs, the bearded face mask, is the only constant motif throughout their production. In the 16th century they could be adorned with popular floral or oakleaf-and-acorn decoration on the body of the vessel. Later, especially in the 17th century, they would frequently be decorated with a medallion in the middle of the body, usually in the form of the armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of royalty, noble families or towns. Many other type of ornamental patterns were used including sobering religious maxims such as DRINCK VND EZT GODEZ NIT VERGEZT, “Eat and drink, forget not God”. The design of the face masks, or Bartmänner, went through a design change during the 17th century as they "became progressively debased and notably grotesque".
Distribution and use
Early modern stoneware from Germany, particularly the Rhineland, "enjoys the greatest archaeological distribution around the globe", and this includes the Bartmann jugs. They have been located in archeological sites all over the world, as a sign of European colonization, emigration and trade. A pair of Bartmann jugs have been documented at the site of the wreck of the English ship Sea Venture, lost in 1609 off Bermuda. The jugs have been dated to around 1580-90, meaning that they had survived for about two decades, including ship transport, which indicates the extent of longevity that Rhenish stoneware could have. The Dutch East India CompanyDutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
routinely used Bartmann jugs to transport mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, evidence of which has been found at shipwreck sites in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and as far away as Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. Frechen Bartmann bottles dating from the mid 17th century have been found in graves of native inhabitants in colonial North America, near the Warren River
Warren River
The Warren River is a tidal extension of the Palmer River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 6.5 km . There are no dams along the river's length.-Course:...
in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and in Camden, Virginia. Among the finds of period shipwrecks, Bartmann jugs frequently appear among the finds. A Bartmann bottle donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
in London was most likely a bottle salvaged from the wreck of the mid-16th century warship Mary Rose
Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
in 1840.
In the 17th century Bartmann jugs were employed as witch bottle
Witch Bottle
The witch bottle is a very old spell device. Its purpose is to draw in and trap harmful intentions directed at its owner. Folk magic contends that the witch bottle protects against evil spirits and magical attack, and counteracts spells cast by witches....
s, a popular type of magic item which was filled with various objects such as human urine, hair and magical charms, which were supposed to benefit their owners or harm their enemies. Bottles with malevolent-looking face masks, typical of the period, were routinely chosen for this very purpose.
The Bartmann jugs were a signature product of Frechen, but their popularity resulted in imitations made in Raeren
Raeren
Raeren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. It was part of Germany until the First World War, after which it became part of Belgium. It is one of several towns in Eastern Belgium which still predominantly speak German....
and Siegburg
Siegburg
--122.148.78.228 05:06, 14 November 2011 Siegburg is a city in the district of Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany...
. They were manufactured in several locations in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, either by English potters copying German patterns or by immigrant Germans. In the late 19th century, during a revival of German stoneware-making, Bartmann jugs were reproduced based on illustrations of museum collections. Attempted forgeries were discovered in England in the 1990s.