Early 20th Century Harald Slott-Møller for Aluminia Hand-Painted Faience Charger, Denmark

Details

Description

A large and unusually decorative Danish faience charger by Aluminia, Copenhagen, featuring a bold hand-painted floral composition attributed to a … Read more A large and unusually decorative Danish faience charger by Aluminia, Copenhagen, featuring a bold hand-painted floral composition attributed to a design by Harald Slott-Møller.

Designed in the Danish Skønvirke / Art Nouveau tradition, the broad circular dish is centered by three richly painted cobalt-blue flowers surrounded by scrolling foliage, with an elaborate border of dark green leaves, blue and green fronds, and interlaced geometric motifs. The combination of strong color, rhythmic botanical ornament and highly structured border design reflects the distinctive decorative vocabulary developed at Aluminia during the early 20th century.

The reverse bears impressed Aluminia factory markings together with painted and stamped production notations including 505 / 300 and the decorator initials “IF.” The design is associated with Harald Slott-Møller’s work for Aluminia; the initials appear consistent with decorator Ingeborg Frederiksen, whose participation would indicate that the piece was executed by the factory from the established design rather than personally painted by Slott-Møller.

Made in glazed faience, rather than porcelain, the charger has substantial scale and works equally well displayed as a wall piece, on a stand, or as a large decorative centerpiece.
Denmark, early 20th century.

About the Designer: Harald Slott-Møller (1864–1937) was an important figure in Danish art at the turn of the 20th century, known particularly for his Symbolist painting and his role in the development of Denmark’s modern decorative arts. After studying at the Royal Danish Academy and under the celebrated painter P.S. Krøyer, Slott-Møller moved from Naturalism toward the highly stylized Symbolist vocabulary for which he became known. His belief that art should connect the spiritual with everyday life extended beyond painting into jewelry and ceramics. From 1902 to 1906 he served as artistic director of the Aluminia Faience Factory, where he created some of the firm’s most distinctive art-faience designs. His paintings and decorative work are represented in major Danish museum collections, including the Statens Museum for Kunst and Designmuseum Danmark.

Aluminia was purchased by Royal Copenhagen.

Condition: Excellent antique condition with minor age-appropriate surface and base wear. No significant chips, cracks or repairs observed. See less