2909 – Jug: Tam O’ Shanter Jug

Physical description:

Jug of smear-glazed buff stoneware, with a moulded relief design. Gadrooned base with pedestal foot. The handle is formed to look like the arm of a witch clasping the horse's tail. Design shows a man in Scottish dress lighting his pipe by a fireside and

Museum classification:

Images of Witchcraft

Size:

26.5 cm x 22 cm

Information:

Iconography drawn from Robert Burns' poem, 'Tam O'Shanter', first published in 1791. Tam gets drunk, and on his way home he is pursued by witches after he ogles at them during their dance held in an old church (accompanied by Satan on the bagpipes). One witch grasps his horses' tail, and finally the chase is ended when Tam's horse jumps across the stream - the witches cannot cross running water.

Materials:

Buff stoneware

Iconography drawn from Robert Burns' poem, 'Tam O'Shanter', first published in 1791. Tam gets drunk, and on his way home he is pursued by witches after he ogles at them during their dance held in an old church (accompanied by Satan on the bagpipes). One witch grasps his horses' tail, and finally the chase is ended when Tam's horse jumps across the stream - the witches cannot cross running water.