*This title has been confirmed to be listed on resale and phishing sites. Please be careful.
This is a lion ceramic tile produced by Lisa Larson in 1963 for Gustavsberg in a limited edition of 100 pieces. It depicts a lion in a cage. In addition to the line that produced mass-produced products, Gustavsberg had a department called G-Studion where famous designers such as Stig Lindberg and Lisa Larson produced art works. This is a work made in that atelier. The signature of LISA. L. is engraved on the bottom left.
Lisa Larson's lion statues are best known for their Afrika series. These cute lion statues with round faces and small bodies are still being produced in reproductions today. The Afrika series began production in 1964, which is generally considered to be the year Lisa Larson's first lion statues were produced, but the lion in the cage shown here was actually produced the previous year, in 1963. The lion has sharp claws and is in an iron cage, but its expression is very gentle and cute, and it is clear that Lisa Larson's later style was already established at this point. This ceramic panel can be said to be the very origin of the lion statues that are now widely known around the world.
More than half a century has passed since their production, and these vintage items are becoming extremely difficult to obtain. As there are only 100 pieces, it is a miracle that they are even available in Japan. Please see the blog post for details.
Please see this page for high resolution photos.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: Gustavsberg Designer: Lisa Larson Title: LEJON I BUR / Lion in a cage Year: 1963 Country of origin: Sweden Condition: ★★★★★ (5: Complete)
This is a perfect item with no notable damage and in original condition . The serial number has been concealed as a consideration for collectors. If you would like to know the serial number, please contact us by email. The number will be a low number such as in the 10s. Many of the ceramic plaques of the lion in the cage have the serial number signed on the back, but the early ones are characterized by having the number engraved on the bottom edge.
■Size
Length 46cm Width 31cm Thickness 2cm
Lisa Larson
Lisa Larson (1931-2024)
A world-renowned Swedish ceramicist, he was born in Härlunda, a village of about 500 people in the Älmhult district of Kronoberg county in the Småland region in southern Sweden.
As a child, she aspired to be a fashion designer, but after enrolling at the Gothenburg Academy of Art, she studied ceramics. One day, she was discovered by Stig Lindberg at a competition, and after a one-year probationary period, she officially joined Gustavsberg as a designer. Shortly thereafter, in 1955, she released the Lilla Zoo series, and in 1964, she came up with the Afrika series, famous for its lion statues.
Lisa Larson has not only worked for Gustavsberg, but has also provided designs for Höganäs, the major domestic retailer Åhléns, and the German ceramic manufacturer Rosenthal. After leaving Gustavsberg in 1979, she became a freelance artist, working on a voluntary basis with companies, rather than as an exclusive contractor, and continued to work freely in various fields. In 1979 and 1981, she held solo exhibitions at Seibu Department Store in Tokyo, and the 1981 exhibition was visited by a total of 70,000 people.
Gustavsberg's G-Studion
Apart from the mass production line, Gustavsberg had a department called G-Studion. Famous designers such as Willhelm Koge, Stig Lindberg and Lisa Larsson created their artwork here.
Founded in 1942, G Studio was a group of artists, designers, craftsmen and illustrators whose activities ranged from creative work to exhibition ceramics, public space art production and industrial design. . It operated until 1993 and served as an ``aesthetic laboratory''. It was also responsible for providing design ideas for Gustavsberg's mass-produced products.
G-Studio was a renovated atelier in an old building from a ceramics factory in Gustavsberg, and was a hub for more than 100 artists and craftsmen. It is no exaggeration to say that Gustavsberg's ceramic tradition of the 20th century originated from here. It was a centerpiece of the Swedish art and design world and served as a breeding ground for new creativity.
Each piece of G Studio's work is handmade, and there are videos showing the production process. The video shows a man wearing round glasses, designer Stig Lindberg. And on the right side you can see Willhelm Koge, who was the studio director.