Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Mermaid Ewer, 16th Century

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made between 1550 and 1600, this ewer would have been used to pour and carry water, and, so that it would be both decorative and functional, it has been given a fitting nautical visual theme. Cast in the form of a mermaid, the ewer boasts an elaborate design which suggests that it was a commission from a wealthy patron.

For two centuries before this was commissioned, medieval craftsmen in Flanders (Belgium) were known for their brass castings of fanciful creatures. This ewer keeps that tradition alive.