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The albarello is a slightly waisted cylindrical form with a prominent everted lip. The Italian term majolica refers to the use of a tin-oxide glaze on earthenware. The tin oxide in the glaze fires a grayish white and provides a suitable surface for elaborate decoration with polychrome glazes. The technique was brought to Italy by Hispano-Moresque traders, the earliest Italian examples being produced in Florence in the 15th century. Albarelli (plural) were made in Italy from the first half of the 15th century through at least the late 19th century and are still made today. Based on Persian designs said to emulate bamboo (the traditional manufacturing material), the jars are usually cylindrical with a slightly concave waist. Such jars served both functional and decorative purposes in traditional apothecaries, and represented status and wealth. The jars were generally sealed with a piece of parchment or leather tied with a piece of cord below the prominent lip.
The painting on the present albarello illustrates the story of Joseph being sold by his brothers (or perhaps the Midianites) into slavery with the Ishmaelites as it was recounted in Genesis 37. Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age. When his older brothers saw that their father loved Joseph best, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him. One day, Israel sent Joseph to tend their flocks at Shechem with his older brothers, who saw him coming from a distance at Dothan. Before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him and throw him into a cistern (note the cover and opening in the foreground of the decoration). But his brother Reuben tried to save Joseph by proposing they simply throw him in the cistern rather than kill him outright. Reuben's purpose was to rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father. When Joseph came up to them, they threw him into the cistern, which was empty and dry, and they sat down to their meal. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, balm and resin to be taken down to Egypt. Judah proposed to his brothers that they sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, instead of killing him. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
The story of Joseph and Ishmaelites foreshadowed Judas’ betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. In a stroke of irony, Joseph was sent to Egypt (as would Jesus), and eventually rose to a position of great authority under the Pharaoh. The fateful decision by the brothers to not kill Joseph later allowed Joseph to be in a position to save their lives. In addition, Joseph’s dreams, coupled with his position of influence, would allow him to plan for the upcoming famine, which as a result would save many more lives.
The albarello bears the paper label of William H. Hoops and Company. Hoops was a merchant dealing in antiques at 531 Wabash Avenue South, Chicago, Illinois. His business was described by Elbert Hubbard in A Little Journey to Wm. H. Hoops & Co (East Aurora, NY: The Roycrofters, 191-).
ProvenanceFrom early 1960s to 2011
Barbara B. Millhouse, Winston-Salem, NC and New York, NY, acquired from Charles H. Babcock (1899-1967) in the early 1960s [1]
From 2011
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, given by Barbara B. Millhouse on June 9, 2011 [2]
Notes:
[1] Email from Barbara B. Millhouse, March 28, 2012. At the time her parents moved out of the house, before donating the estate to the Babcock Foundation, they allowed her to take some items.
[2] Accession Record, Board Minutes, and Deed of Gift, object file.
Accession Record & Board Minutes:
Accession Record signed 6/8/2011 by Collections Committee; Board Minutes from 6/9/2011 approved for acquisition
Deed of Gift:
Signed Deed of Gift from Barbara B. Millhouse to RHMAA 8/26/2011.
Email correspondence from Barbara B. Millhouse, 3/28/2012:
In the early 60s when my parents moved out of Reynolda, they said take anything we want. I do not know the exact date of their departure--but it would be just before they gave the house and property to the Babcock Foundation. The change in ownership of the vases, etc, would date to their departure.
DepartmentHistoric House
Albarello
Datemid-1800s
Mediumearthenware with tin glaze (majolica)
DimensionsOverall: 13 × 9 1/16 × 9 3/16 × 8 3/4 × 28 1/2 in. (33 × 23 × 23.3 × 22.2 × 72.4 cm)
Credit LineGift of Barbara B. Millhouse
CopyrightPublic Domain
Object number2011.2.3
DescriptionThe majolica jar (albarello) is painted with polychrome glazes with a scene showing a large group of older men in robes surrounding a younger male figure who appears to be crying. The older men in the center of the scene are exchanging something by hand. A round cover with two handles on the ground before them is set ajar from a hole. Three camels loaded with white sacks are shown at the left. The scene is outlined, as though it was a painting, by a frame made up of three blue lines, two straight and one scalloped. The albarello is a slightly waisted cylindrical form with a prominent everted lip. The Italian term majolica refers to the use of a tin-oxide glaze on earthenware. The tin oxide in the glaze fires a grayish white and provides a suitable surface for elaborate decoration with polychrome glazes. The technique was brought to Italy by Hispano-Moresque traders, the earliest Italian examples being produced in Florence in the 15th century. Albarelli (plural) were made in Italy from the first half of the 15th century through at least the late 19th century and are still made today. Based on Persian designs said to emulate bamboo (the traditional manufacturing material), the jars are usually cylindrical with a slightly concave waist. Such jars served both functional and decorative purposes in traditional apothecaries, and represented status and wealth. The jars were generally sealed with a piece of parchment or leather tied with a piece of cord below the prominent lip.
The painting on the present albarello illustrates the story of Joseph being sold by his brothers (or perhaps the Midianites) into slavery with the Ishmaelites as it was recounted in Genesis 37. Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age. When his older brothers saw that their father loved Joseph best, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him. One day, Israel sent Joseph to tend their flocks at Shechem with his older brothers, who saw him coming from a distance at Dothan. Before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him and throw him into a cistern (note the cover and opening in the foreground of the decoration). But his brother Reuben tried to save Joseph by proposing they simply throw him in the cistern rather than kill him outright. Reuben's purpose was to rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father. When Joseph came up to them, they threw him into the cistern, which was empty and dry, and they sat down to their meal. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, balm and resin to be taken down to Egypt. Judah proposed to his brothers that they sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, instead of killing him. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
The story of Joseph and Ishmaelites foreshadowed Judas’ betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. In a stroke of irony, Joseph was sent to Egypt (as would Jesus), and eventually rose to a position of great authority under the Pharaoh. The fateful decision by the brothers to not kill Joseph later allowed Joseph to be in a position to save their lives. In addition, Joseph’s dreams, coupled with his position of influence, would allow him to plan for the upcoming famine, which as a result would save many more lives.
The albarello bears the paper label of William H. Hoops and Company. Hoops was a merchant dealing in antiques at 531 Wabash Avenue South, Chicago, Illinois. His business was described by Elbert Hubbard in A Little Journey to Wm. H. Hoops & Co (East Aurora, NY: The Roycrofters, 191-).
ProvenanceFrom early 1960s to 2011
Barbara B. Millhouse, Winston-Salem, NC and New York, NY, acquired from Charles H. Babcock (1899-1967) in the early 1960s [1]
From 2011
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, given by Barbara B. Millhouse on June 9, 2011 [2]
Notes:
[1] Email from Barbara B. Millhouse, March 28, 2012. At the time her parents moved out of the house, before donating the estate to the Babcock Foundation, they allowed her to take some items.
[2] Accession Record, Board Minutes, and Deed of Gift, object file.
Accession Record & Board Minutes:
Accession Record signed 6/8/2011 by Collections Committee; Board Minutes from 6/9/2011 approved for acquisition
Deed of Gift:
Signed Deed of Gift from Barbara B. Millhouse to RHMAA 8/26/2011.
Email correspondence from Barbara B. Millhouse, 3/28/2012:
In the early 60s when my parents moved out of Reynolda, they said take anything we want. I do not know the exact date of their departure--but it would be just before they gave the house and property to the Babcock Foundation. The change in ownership of the vases, etc, would date to their departure.
Status
On view