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Lustre Jug Analysis

Decent Essays

Formal Analysis of a Lustre Jug Dated to 1185, the lustre jug is made of glazed terracotta by an unknown artist. Despite its age, the jug is remarkably whole, missing only a small fragment on its rim. In order to view all its designs, viewers would have to observe the jug from multiple angles. This essay will analyse how the artist used lines, shape, and colour to explore the dichotomy of containment and stasis in contrast to energy and movement. The jug has a limited but warm colour palette of mostly brown and white, which imbues it with a dignified and understated elegance. Despite its restrained earthy colours that suggest stability, the use of spirals and kinaesthetic imagery evokes the ideas of energy and movement. Upon closer observation, viewers notice that the lustre of the jug has cracked in several places and acquired different hues in other spots, probably due to age. Such subtle changes in colour, in addition to its glossy surface, slightly dramatize the muted main colours of the jug. This adds to a feeling of dynamism that paradoxically emanates from a stationary object. …show more content…

It appears rather squat, with a large horizontally bulging middle. The jug is symmetrical, composed of a vertical axis that runs downwards along the handle from the neck to its base. However, the middle portion of the jug has a horizontal pattern that disrupts the harmony of its symmetric shape. This dissonance between the volumetric and exterior properties of the jug instils it with a semblance of volatility, diminishing the sense of balance achieved by its symmetrical shape. Viewers would also notice that the jug’s interior is glazed along its rim. The artist may have done so deliberately to make the jug more aesthetically appealing when viewed from a distance, as there would be a completed and symmetrical brown

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