Beer Mug

Copied William Bernstein, Beer Mug, 1975/original design 1972, glass, 8 1⁄8 x 4 5⁄8 in. (20.5 x 11.8 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1975.144.2

Artwork Details

Title
Beer Mug
Artist
Date
1975/original design 1972
Location
Dimensions
8 1⁄8 x 4 5⁄8 in. (20.5 x 11.8 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums
Mediums Description
glass
Classifications
Object Number
1975.144.2
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1975.144.2

Artwork Description

William Bernstein created goblets and sculptural pieces early in his career that were inspired by the simple design and practicality of colonial American glass. He made these two mugs just a few years after his graduation from the Philadelphia College of Art, in Pennsylvania. Bernstein added blue ribbons of color to the clear molten glass, which mimic the playful zigzag pattern of the mugs' handles. This set was featured in the Renwick Gallery's 1975–76 exhibition Craft Multiples, which highlighted the work of production craftsmen.