This glass statue of a woman from the Old Testament was designed by Lisa Larson in the 1970s. The "Bath of Susanna," part of the Apocrypha of the Old Testament, tells the story of a beautiful woman named Susanna who is tempted by two old men.
The story goes like this: Susanna is a wealthy, devout Jewish woman who, one day, is seen bathing in the garden of her house by two malicious old men. They try to seduce her, but when she refuses, they falsely accuse her of having had an affair with a young man. Susanna is about to be executed, but a young man named Daniel appears and proves her innocence, exposing the men's false testimony. In the end, Susanna is saved and the unjust old men are punished.
The story explores themes of justice, honesty, and courage in the face of false accusations, motifs that are often depicted in artwork. It is relatively rare for Lisa Larson to draw on the Bible for motifs, and this work has a more apocalyptic status within her oeuvre.
After leaving her former employer, Gustavsberg, in 1980, Lisa Larson became a freelance designer, receiving commissions from companies across Europe. This is an object she created during her freelance years at the request of Royal Krona, a Swedish glass manufacturer.
This masterpiece is made of crystal glass, giving it a high level of transparency, and its subtle changes in appearance can be seen from various angles. It is also extremely heavy, weighing approximately 3 kg, making it Lisa Larson's largest glass piece. While it can stand on its own, it does not have the original wooden base, so we recommend displaying it on a book stand or similar.
■Details Manufacturer: Royal Krona Designer: Lisa Larson Era: 1980s Country of Origin: Sweden Condition: Imperfect There is a very thin crack near the corner of the bottom. This is not visible from an aesthetic point of view and does not detract from the beauty of the piece, but please note that this is not a perfect item. The rest of the piece is in excellent condition, retaining the original appearance from the time of manufacture.
■Size
Maximum width 29cm , length 22cm, thickness 3cm
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.
