Wall-Mounted Glazed Terracotta Cutlery Strainer w/ Abstract Splatter Decoration c. 1900 - 11¾"

This wall-mounted cutlery drainer in glazed terracotta is formed as two joined, perforated cups beneath a semicircular backplate with a molded rim and hanging holes. The glaze is a warm brick-toned terracotta enlivened by dark brown splashes, a surface that bridges rustic folk art with a spontaneity reminiscent of later abstract and expressionist movements.

Used in rural kitchens for draining cutlery and wooden spoons, it was hung near the sink so water could escape through the pierced cups. The twin-pot form was a long-standing type in the Rhône valley, where workshops produced utilitarian wares animated by bold glazing techniques that transformed the everyday into decorative objects.

Well suited to a country kitchen, pantry, or mudroom, it can be rehung to hold utensils, brushes, or herb bundles. It brings authentic farmhouse texture beside copper pots, linens, and stone, while its splattered glaze resonates as much with the gestures of folk potters as with the energy of modernist abstraction, making it both historic and unexpectedly contemporary.