Terms and Conditions
The artist, title and date of the work must be listed anywhere the image is reproduced:
(England)
Argyle (c. 1790)
earthenware
14.5 × 8.7 cm (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Patricia Begg OAM Bequest, 2024
Photo: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
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About this work
Argyles were vessels for gravy, designed to keep it warm on the long journey from the kitchen to the dining table. They comprised a main receptacle with a long spout attached at the base and below this a separate compartment for hot water, which was filled via an opening at the back. The gravy at the bottom would be poured first, where it was warmest, leaving the fat that had formed on the top untouched. The handle on the side references chocolate and coffee pots of the later eighteenth century, when the handle was moved for greater ease of pouring.