198. Ralph Nuara, slipware mug

198. Ralph Nuara, slipware mug

For Nuara, see item 175.

Red clay. Slipware glazes in white and black; with clear luster glaze; base and exterior of foot ring left unglazed. Weight: 388 g (14 oz). Height: 8.3 cm (3-1/4 in). Width of rim: 10.2 x 9 cm (4 x 3-1/2 in). Diameter of base: 8 cm (3-1/8 in). Width with handle: 12.3 cm (4-7/8 in). Capacity: 396 ml (14 fl oz).

This sits on a very narrow foot ring 0.3 cm (1/8 in) wide; the interior of the ring foot has been hollowed out evenly to a depth of 0.4 cm (3/16 in). The walls above the foot ring extend upward at about a 45 degree angle to a height of 0.6 cm (1/4 in) above the base; the artist’s mark has been impressed into the clay on this strip. Above this the walls of the cup rise to the rim in a series of horizontal undulations. The cross-sections are highly irregular in shape. The walls on the side opposite the handle were flattened after throwing, and there is a large irregular dent in the middle of this side. The handle is attached at the top just below the rim and about 2 cm (3/4 in) above the base at the bottom.  The surface is very smooth.

The bottom of the inside of the mug and the irregular dent in the flat side of the walls were glazed in white. A horizontal band of black was drawn in the middle of the exterior walls apparently before the handle was attached. On the exterior, there are also splashes of black in a vertical strip near the flattened area and at the top of the handle. On the interior, there are two irregular horizontal bands of black along with vertical splashes of black along the interior walls and drips of black on the white surface of the bottom. The entire cup was covered with a clear luster glaze, with the exception of the foot ring and the slanted portion of the walls just above the foot. There are also three spots on the walls that are not covered with the luster glaze; there are apparently the spots where the mug was held by the artist’s fingertips as he dipped the mug in the glaze. Glaze was also applied over the artist’s mark.

Despite the irregularities in the shape of the rim, this is easy to drink from. It’s well-balanced and fits well in the hand.

Purchased from the artist in September 2022.