Frederick Douglass Food Stamp Jar

Roberto Lugo identifies as a potter, social activist, spoken word poet, and educator. He often uses the traditionally elite medium of porcelain ceramic to honor the identities of individuals whose faces are seldom represented in such formats, combining historic forms with imagery that explores issues such as poverty, inequality, and social and racial injustice. In this earthenware vessel he commemorates the abolitionist, social reformer, author, statesman, and Maryland native Frederick Douglass, who is not otherwise represented in the Walters’ collections. Its shape is based on 18th-century vessels in the Walters’ collections made by Sèvres, a French manufacturer of luxury porcelains, while its decoration features graffiti and, on the reverse, a landscape inspired by the imagery on food stamps.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Commissioned by the Walters Art Museum, 2018; purchased by Walters Art Museum, 2018.