Large American Studio Pottery Terracotta Vases, Pair

Details

Description

Large American Studio Pottery Terracotta Vases, Pair
Mid to Late 20th Century

This substantial pair of large American studio pottery … Read more Large American Studio Pottery Terracotta Vases, Pair
Mid to Late 20th Century

This substantial pair of large American studio pottery terracotta vases brings sculptural warmth and scale to a room. Each has a generously rounded body rising from a slightly flared foot to a distinctive double-rolled rim, finished in a textured cream-white glaze flecked with the warm brown of the terracotta body beneath. A broad band of vertical scored lines around the shoulder catches the light and adds a tactile, hand-worked rhythm to the simple form. The interiors are finished in a contrasting black glaze, and both vases are fitted with drainage holes at the base, so they work as readily for living plants as they do as empty sculptural vessels.

At nearly twenty inches high, the pair makes an easy anchor for a sunroom, a covered porch or a pair of niches, and they are equally at home flanking a console, bracketing a fireplace or standing alone on the floor with a large fern, fiddle-leaf fig or olive tree. Their neutral, chalky palette suits mid-century modern, organic modern and relaxed contemporary interiors alike, and the substantial weight of each vessel speaks to the quality of the potting.

Dimensions
Height: 19 3/4 inches (50.2 cm)
Diameter: 14 1/4 inches (36.2 cm)
Weight: approximately 32.6 lbs (14.8 kg) each

Provenance
Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge.

Condition
Very good vintage condition. No chips or cracks.

Historical Context
These vases reflect the American studio pottery aesthetic of the postwar decades, which favored generous organic forms and the frank expression of clay as a material. Scoring or combing through a slip or glaze to expose the contrasting body beneath, a form of sgraffito, was a widely used technique in mid-century ceramic design, and the resulting play of smooth and textured surfaces on a simple wheel-thrown form sits between traditional country pottery and modern sculptural ceramics. Large-scale planters of this kind were made for architects and interior designers, who used them as living sculpture in modern interiors and courtyards. See less