What can a humble pitcher reveal about American life? In this lecture, art historian and author Ezra Shales presents insights from his new book Pitchers of American Life: Art Within Reach, examining pitchers, jugs, and communal cups as evidence of how people work, worship, celebrate, and care for one another. Moving from long-standing rituals to the growth of mass production and today’s consumer habits, Shales shows how these everyday vessels act as historical documents in plain sight. Selected objects will circulate during the talk for close looking and discussion; no prior experience with ceramics is expected.

Co-presented by the Ceramics Program, Office for the Arts at Harvard and the Harvard Ed Portal. This lecture is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.