Hunting jug

Lubartów, a town in the Lubelskie Voivodeship, received its present name and municipal rights in 1744. It was a private town that changed its owners several times. In 1839, it was purchased by Henryk Łubieński, who established a faience manufactory there and entrusted its management to Robert Wendler, who came from Saxony. Forests covered the Łubieński estate, so there was plenty of fuel for the ceramic furnaces. The flint needed for production was obtained from stones found in the fields. It was collected mainly by the children of local peasants. However, there was a lack of deposits of fine clay. The clay was imported from distant Radlin near Kielce, which was both troublesome and expensive. The financial problems of the next owner, Paweł Łubieński, led to the takeover by the bank and, consequently, the liquidation of the manufactory in 1850.

Ceramics produced in Lubartów were generally divided into two types. Some were vessels of simple shapes, mainly glazed jugs with modest decoration intended for daily use. The second type, namely artistically decorated vessels and specific ceramic gallantry, such as openwork baskets, candlesticks, figurines, and paperweights, was an entirely original achievement of the factory. They were not glazed but covered with colourful varnish or left unglazed. An example of this type of decorative object is a jug with a motif of hunted animals. The theme suited the taste of the time, as hunting was one of the favourite pastimes, and hunting dogs were in every landed gentry home. Due to the factory's short period of operation, very few of its products have survived to the present day. It makes them even more valuable and sought after by both collectors and museums. The National Museum in Lublin is proud to hold over thirty items.

Barbara Czajkowska