Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Studio Pottery Pitcher With Abstract Relief Faces

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Description

A striking mid-20th-century studio pottery pitcher conceived as much as a sculptural object as a functional vessel.

The substantial hand-formed … Read more A striking mid-20th-century studio pottery pitcher conceived as much as a sculptural object as a functional vessel.

The substantial hand-formed body is modeled in low relief with a series of abstract human faces that emerge subtly from the surface as the vessel is viewed from different angles. Rather than simply being drawn or incised onto the clay, the faces are integrated into the form itself, with raised and recessed planes defining brows, noses, cheeks and mouths. Selective incised details further articulate the features.

A richly mottled glaze in earthy shades of brown, khaki, olive and charcoal accentuates the modeled surface, pooling and shifting across the relief and allowing individual faces to appear and recede with changes in light and perspective.

The combination of functional vessel and figurative sculpture reflects the experimental approach to ceramics that flourished among European and American studio potters during the mid-20th century. The strongly abstracted faces and treatment of the vessel as sculpture give the piece a distinctly modernist character.

The underside bears an indistinct incised artist's mark or initials. The maker and country of origin remain unidentified. Based on its materials, construction and sculptural vocabulary, the pitcher is conservatively dated circa 1950s–1970s.

An unusually sophisticated piece of studio pottery whose imagery rewards viewing in the round—different faces and expressions reveal themselves as the pitcher is turned.
Dimensions: approximately 8" W × 6" D × 7" H.

Condition: Very good vintage condition with minor irregularities inherent to handmade studio pottery. Please refer to photographs for details.
Price: $395 See less