Bartmann jug

ca. 1800

Beginning in the 16th century German potters produced saltglaze stoneware, which they exported all over Europe. Fired to a great hardness, the pots were covered with a saltglaze that produced a rich brown color, similar to bronze. Popular shapes included round jugs used to serve beer. The most distinctive were those with human faces on or just below the neck known as Bellarmines or Bartmann jugs. The best date from the second half of the 16th century, but they continued to be made in the 17th century and even later in some places.