jug

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• Louise Cormier asked

  I try to reproduce various medieval pots. Have the chemicals been analyzed - this has a vibrant yellow & I am wondering if it contains antimony? If not, do you have any ideas on how this colour was achieved? Thank you. Louise

• Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

  Dear Louise,
  This jug was made in medieval Flanders. The basic shape of the jug is made of redware/ red earthenware, which is partly covered with a thin white clay slip, and then partly covered with leadglaze which gives the bright yellow effect. So it is not the chemical composition of the clay body that brings this effect but the layering of white slip and yellowish leadglaze on top of the red jug. I think it was done to make jug more attractive.
  Kind regards
  Alexandra van Dongen
  Curator historic design