This is a unique bowl made by Lisa Larson when she left Gustavsberg and began working as a freelancer.
The bowl is similar in size to a large matcha tea bowl or a tea ceremony water kettle. The sides feature a geometric pattern, but at first glance it has a calming appearance that makes it look like Japanese pottery.
This piece is not made of chamotte stoneware, which Lisa Larson invented, but rather a regular ceramic bowl. The bottom of the bowl shines dull when held up to the light, and slight bubbles can be seen. The glaze is adjusted to give it a subtle color, and the bubbles at the bottom appear to have been intentionally placed. Overall, the piece has a strong affinity with Japanese pottery.
Lisa Larson first visited Japan as a Swedish representative at the Osaka Expo in 1970, where she interacted with Shoji Hamada, a potter known for his role in the Japanese Mingei movement. She had also been exposed to many Japanese ceramic works brought back by Wilhelm Kåge, a legendary designer at Gustavsberg, where she had previously worked. Japanese design has undoubtedly influenced Lisa Larson's inspiration.
This is an exceptional one-of-a-kind piece that gives a glimpse into Lisa Larson's creative journey.
[Production background]
After leaving Gustavsberg in 1980, Lisa Larson became a freelance designer, taking on design work from companies around the world. While ceramic plaques and ceramic statues were her main focus, she also began to focus on creating unique pieces in her own studio.
Lisa Larson's studio was located in Ugglevägen, a suburb of Stockholm, and could be considered the precursor to Keramikstudion Gustavsberg (K Studio), which she would later return to and found.
At the bottom is Lisa Larson's signature and the number 84, indicating that it was made in 1984, when Lisa Larson was 53 years old.
■Detailed specifications
Designer: Lisa Larson
Year: 1984
condition:
There are no cracks, chips or crazing, and it is in the original condition as it was when it was first made.
■Size
Diameter 15.8cm Height 10cm
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.
