"Grinding pot"
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Guild jug with depictions of saints
This late Gothic vessel from Breslau is known as a "grinding jug". This refers to tall cylindrical pewter vessels that were used by craftsmen to serve wine or beer at drinking parties. They have a lid, curved handles and three feet, usually in the shape of a lion. The walls are decorated with engravings, in this case with ancient images of saints.
As serving vessels, grinding jugs were an essential element of guild life and often depicted craftsmanship, guild emblems or biblical scenes. They were widespread throughout Germany until the 19th century. The oldest known examples come from Silesia.
The characteristic feature of these early Silesian grinding jugs compared to later ones is the faceted wall: The body of the jug was first moulded round and then flattened by forging. This resulted in flat surfaces, which on the Breslau jug were decorated with depictions of saints.
A total of 15 such faceted vessels from Silesia have survived, all dating from around 1500, the oldest of which can be seen here, dated 1491, but cannot be assigned to any craft guild.
Its engravings are still very much in the Gothic style. The seven facets depict the saints Apollonia, Dorothea and Barbara as well as the Virgin Mary alongside tendrils and foliage.
The jug documents an important independent contribution by Silesia to the material culture of the guild system and to the development of the art of pewter casting in Central Europe.
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On a 2000 m2 exhibition space, visitors can explore approximately 1000 exhibits from the history of Silesian culture.
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