Be Still. . .
Object Details
- Luce Center Label
- Be Still. . . is a tea set—the pear half and quarters are actually elaborate stands for the teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl. Like many of Kathleen Royster Lamb's pieces, leaves and thorns play a prominent role in the interpretation of the design. To Lamb, the leaves signify a protective layer while the thorns symbolize pain. Lamb considers the pear shape to be a feminine form where the leaves protect the fruit's fleshy, delicate core from the thorns of the creamer and sugar bowl. By exposing the core of the fruit, she wants to create a feeling of vulnerability and drama. Lamb intentionally emphasized the length of each pear's stem in an attempt to represent the balance, or lack thereof, that we find within ourselves. (Susan Peterson, Contemporary Ceramics, 2000)
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Howard Kottler Endowment for Ceramic Art
- Data Source
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Date
- 1998
- Object number
- 2000.3A-G
- Artist
- Kathleen Royster Lamb, born Cedar Rapids, IA 1958
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- Decorative Arts-Ceramic
- Crafts
- Medium
- stoneware
- Dimensions
- part A (half pear): 4 1/4 x 12 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (10.7 x 31.1 x 15.8 cm) part B (quarter pear): 4 x 9 3/4 x 6 1/8 in. (10.1 x 24.8 x 15.5 cm) part C (quarter pear): 3 1/4 x 12 x 5 3/4 in. (8.3 x 30.5 x 14.5 cm) part D (sugar bowl): 3 3/4 x 6 3/4 x 4 in. (9.6 x 17.2 x 10.1 cm) part E (creamer): 3 3/4 x 6 7/8 x 4 5/8 in. (9.5 x 17.6 x 11.9 cm) part F (teapot): 7 1/2 x 7 3/8 x 4 5/8 in. (19.2 x 18.8 x 11.8 cm) part G (lid): 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 x 1 3/8 in. (5.3 x 5.3 x 3.5 cm)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Renwick Gallery
- On View
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor, 53A
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor
- Topic
- Object\fruit\pear
- Record ID
- saam_2000.3A-G
