In yesterday’s journal entry, I crept-out onto a limb with my theory of Native American design inspiration. Today I’ll inch-out a bit further: I believe the piece above, made by Carstens in post-war West Germany, references ancient Etruscan design. But the Germans weren’t simply imitating the ceramics of ancient Central Italy. It seems they were inspired by the aged relics excavated in the modern age. The piece above, while it has the crude, handmade appearance of an ancient pottery vessel, also has the (manufactured) appearance of age—of time spent underground. The early Twentieth Century was a time of much archeological excavation and advancement. Though interrupted by World War II, the efforts resumed after the conflict and new finds in the 1950’s and 1960’s fueled the world’s imagination. It seems logical to conclude that in the 1960’s and 1970’s—at the time this piece was crafted—designers might find inspiration in the works of their potter-predecessors.
This piece is part of an ever-building collection of red Modernist art pottery now in-store. You can see some of them in our on-line shop (click “Shop Now”) or see the full range by visiting the store in-person. To learn more about this particular piece, please click on the photo above.
For the Holidays, LEO Design is now open from noon to 10:00 pm daily.