Mug

Kiev-Mezhegorsky faience factory, Kiev, Russia. 1830s

Coloured glaze on faience. Height: 7 cm, diameter: 7.5 cm

Impressed mark in the centre of the underside reads “Kiev 9”

Entered the Historical Museum collection in 1922 as part of a group of privately owned items submitted for safekeeping during World War One (1914-1918) and never reclaimed

The relief decoration on the mug shows Venus floating in a large shell drawn by dolphins, accompanied by Cupid on a dolphin and the flying Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accompanied by Cupid on an eagle. The group symbolizes the elements of air and water. The decoration was most probably created by a designer from the John Turner factory. Together with Josiah Wedgwood and William Adams, Turner was one of the main pioneers of jasperware production in the second half of the 18th century. Indeed, George and Frederick Rhead have suggested that Wedgwood deliberately instructed Turner in the art of jasperware-making, so as Turner could further improve the practice.¹⁵ Usually regarded as one of Wedgwood’s best-known imitators, Turner nevertheless also developed his own unique subjects, totally unconnected with any of the relief decorations used by the Etruria Works. Such allegorical representations of the natural elements in the form of deities were copied not only by other English factories, but also by Europeans and Russian ones.