This mushroom-shaped flower vase is a unique piece made by Lisa Larson in Gustavsberg.
The circular top is glazed in patches, with the bare surface showing through in places. It has a dull, lustrous, and heavy construction, and is more suited to use as an incense burner than as a flower vase.
The body is not made of bisque pottery, but rather using a pottery technique called chamotte stoneware. Chamotte is made by crushing clay that has been fired once. By kneading the powdered material into clay again and firing it in a kiln, it is possible to express the roughness of the earth while ensuring high durability. Lisa Larson studied this technique at Gustavsberg and used it in her ceramic statues.
It is noteworthy that the glaze layer on the body and the top are neatly separated, and I believe this piece was probably fired upside down to prevent the natural glaze from dripping and sticking to the body. On the other hand, the mouth is heavily glazed, so there seems to have been some ingenuity in the firing method, such as hanging it upside down.
The bottom is hand-carved with Lisa Larson's signature and stamped with Gustavsberg SWEDEN. The production period of this piece is limited to the period when Lisa Larson was focusing on creating unique pieces and was still employed at Gustavsberg, so it was probably made between 1975 and 1980.
After leaving Gustavsberg in 1980, Lisa Larson produced many pieces as a freelance designer that did not bear the Gustavsberg manufacturer's mark. This work was produced by the middle-aged Lisa Larson at a high level of technique in a dedicated atelier called G Studio.
■ Detailed specifications
Designer: Lisa Larson
Manufacturer: Gustavsberg
Era: 1975-1980 (estimated)
Condition: ★★★★★ (5: Complete)
There are no cracks or chips, and it is in perfect condition, retaining its original appearance. It has never been used as a flower vase.
■Size
Diameter 13.5cm Height 20cm
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.
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.