20th Century Art Deco Plaque of Madonna and Jesus in Terracotta by Kurt Goebel for Goldscheider, Austria

Details

Description

Description of the item:
Wonderful bas-relief plaque depicting the face of the Madonna covered with a blue veil with the … Read more Description of the item:
Wonderful bas-relief plaque depicting the face of the Madonna covered with a blue veil with the baby Jesus, made of majolica terracotta, entirely hand-modeled, partly glazed and partly left with a matte finish. Signed by the Goldscheider factory on the back and numbered. In the Goldscheider general catalog, based on the numbering on the sculpture, the work is attributed to Kurt Goebel, who made it in Austria in 1936, as shown in the last photo.

Useful information for evaluating the item:
Kurt Goebel was an important Austrian artist who collaborated with many manufacturers, including Goldscheider, Keramos, and Wiener Werkstatte. Our research shows that Kurt Goebel has achieved various auction results, with the four highest results found on Art Price ranging from €800 to €2,500. We also found some ceramic wall masks, all very similar to ours, listed or sold at very high prices. One mask was sold for €2,500 (over €3,200 including fees) by Im Kinsky in Vienna, Austria, at the "Jugendstil" auction on December 16, 2020, lot 1076, entitled "Stehmaske." Another, however, was estimated at €2,114 - €2,349 (£1,800 - £2,000) by Kinghams Auctioneers & Valuers in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, UK, at the auction "Style & sophistication: A celebration of art deco" on May 26, 2022, lot 139, entitled "Standing Mask, model 7616 (c.1936)". Finally, another mask was estimated at €1,200 by Kunstauktionshaus Schloss Ahlden GmbH in Ahlden, Germany, at the "Grosse Kunstauktion" auction on 07/09/2019, Lot 223, entitled "Frauenkopf." This is to give an idea of the value of ceramics made by Kurt Goebel and the value of wall masks similar to ours.
(By entering the details of the items we have indicated into Google, especially the title of the auction or sale listing in the same language we have used, the date, the lot number, and the auction house or name of the sales website, you will, in most cases, be able to find and view the items mentioned).

Final considerations on the object:
The artistic workmanship on the mask is extremely valuable, especially with regard to the partial vitrification, a very complex technique in majolica production. The sculpture is in full Art Deco style, with very dark skin, as was fashionable in the 1930s, almond-shaped eyes, and rich light-dark contrasts of great visual effect. Note, for example, the bas-relief necklace of the Madonna, shiny and glazed, in stark contrast to the dark, opaque neck. The hair of the child and the Madonna is beautifully glazed in majolica, the patina is excellent throughout the sculpture and especially on the back, the dimensions are good, and it is a rare collector's item.

Information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
The Austrian Goldscheider factory was founded in 1885 by the famous entrepreneur and artist Friedrich Goldscheider and remained active until 1954. This manufacturer is considered one of the most important ceramics and terracotta manufacturers of the late 1800s and early 1900s in Europe, collaborating with the most important sculptors and ceramists of the time, such as Lorenzl, Dakon, Knorlein, Meisinger, Goebel, Cherc, Rosè, and many others. Kurl Goebel is one of the many famous artists who collaborated with the factory, listed at auction and world-renowned.


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