At about the time this jug was made, England was fascinated by the deep cutting of glass, which prompted the art critic John Ruskin to remark that "all cut glass is barbarous" (Stones of Venice, 1853). The jug was made solely by blowing and enameling, and the water lilies give a sense of freshness to the water that it contains. They also represent a fresh start in glass design of the period, when naturalistic designs came into fashion.