Community Chat

[Oznell]

Born November 13, 1906.  Eva Zeisel, brilliant sculptor, ceramicist and industrial designer, had a life of high drama that belied the serene, streamlined, ahead-of-her-time creations of her art.  She drew on influences as diverse as the 18th century, to the burgeoning Modernist movement of her time.

Sauceboat, late Forties?

"Mondrian" pitcher:

She was born into a cultured Hungarian-Jewish family, studied and worked in Germany, a few steps ahead of the Nazis. She continued her work and her meteoric career rose rapidly in Russia, before she was framed by the Communists on a ludicrous charge of trying to assassinate Josef Stalin, and was imprisoned for over a year. After release, she fled to Austria and eventually the United States, where she began at the bottom and became one of the most significant, ground-breaking and acclaimed of twentieth century industrial designers, and lived to be 105.

Her famous "family-like" salts and peppers:

 

1928 Tea Set:

These are only scratching the surface of a multifaceted career.  She even did gorgeous furniture pieces.   There's tons of material on Eva Zeisel, from the online Encyclopedia Britannica, to the Museum of Modern Art.  I love this quote of hers that Wiki provides:

“I don’t create angular things. I’m a more circular person—it’s more my character….even the air between my hands is round.”    --   Eva Zeisel, describing her work.

[Oznell]

I had my usual, sporadic problem loading images this a.m. but seem to be able to better now.  Here's some more of her remarkable output:

The "Resilient Chair",   circa 1948

Midcentury Bird Covered Bowl (love):

Roller Ball Pen:

"Pillow Stack" vase:

Detail of celery dish, in the delicate "Buckingham" pattern:

Whether boldly sculptural, or softly organic and biomorphic, I find her work so interesting.

[jellyBEAN]

Yes, I agree, very interesting artwork.  I've never been a big fan of contemporary - but I sure can appreciate the style in the right type of home - like a mid-century ranch out in Palm Springs or southern Arizona.  Very talented woman.

[cantdrive55]

@Oznell  Thank you for posting - very interesting! I’m looking forward to researching Eva and learning more about her life & work. I looked at additional images on line & that gravy boat is the bomb!

[Oznell]

Oh, that would be a perfect setting for these items, @jellyBEAN,  midcentury modern place in Palm Springs or Arizona!   Although, I've even seen in a decorating mag.  how a designer integrated midcentury type ceramics and glass in a primitive, sort of colonial Bucks County kind of old house-- and they looked great there too!  Graceful lines meeting graceful lines, I guess.

@cantdrive55, agreed, they are so sinuously beautiful.  In fact, I find all her "pouring' vessels to be so interestingly shaped for their purposes....