Bartmannkrug

Bartmannkrug, also called Bearded-man Jug, type of 16th-century German jug, characterized by a round belly and a mask of a bearded man applied in relief to the neck. This salt-glazed stoneware jug is associated particularly with Cologne and Frechen, where it was manufactured in considerable numbers. It was sometimes called a “Bellarmine,” the mask being regarded as a satire on Cardinal (later Saint) Robert Bellarmine, a Roman Catholic cleric who opposed Protestantism.

The jugs were exported in considerable quantities to England, where they were known as “graybeards.” The jug is usually finished in golden brown or blue and gray, and the mask descends from the rim of the neck so that the rectangular beard falls over the shoulder and onto the belly of the jug. Other raised designs were invariably added, including rosettes, medallions, leaves, ornamental friezes, or coats of arms.