Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

A small porcelain jar decorated with two scenes from Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's cabin. Both scenes are variations on illustrations by Hammatt Billings that appeared in the illustrated edition of Uncle Tom's cabin, published in Boston by John P. Jewett and Company in 1853. Baker and Smith were the original engravers. One illustration depicts Eva teaching Uncle Tom to read. They are seated together in a bower. Eva has a book in her lap and is gesturing to her left at a sunset scene on a lake. She wears a white dress; her straw hat with a blue ribbon is on the ground at her left. Tom wears a red and white striped jacket, white shirt and blue pants; his straw hat with a red ribbon lies on the ground to his right. "Uncle Tom & Eva" is printed below the scene. The other illustration, with "Uncle Tom," printed below the scene, shows Uncle Tom tied to a post and being beaten by two male slaves at the direction of Simon Legree. Legree is dressed in a brown coat, yellow vest, white shirt, red and white checked trousers and is wearing a straw hat. One slave wears a purple jacket and blue pants, the other a blue jacket and red and white striped pants. Tom, bare-chested, is wearing white pants and is gazing up at a vision of Eva in heaven.