This ceramic tile of a couple standing together under an apple tree was designed by Lisa Larson at Gustavsberg in 1977. Gustavsberg had a department called G-Studion, separate from the line that produced mass-produced products, where famous designers such as Stig Lindberg and Lisa Larson produced art works. This is a work made in that atelier. Each piece is handmade, and the back is stamped with Lisa Larson's name.
There are three types of ceramic panels of the apple tree, one each for a newlywed couple, a middle-aged couple, and an elderly couple. The couple depicted in each version are the same, but they are depicted as gradually growing older under the apple tree. The color of the apples changes according to their age, from blue to yellow, The color changes to deep red. This ceramic tile is from his prime.
Lisa Larson's ceramic panels tend to be generally flat, even if they are thick, but this is a rare ceramic panel that stands out for its three-dimensionality. It expresses the dignity of the husband standing tall in a suit of three and the chastity of the wife with her hands clasped together in a polite manner, making it a heartfelt piece that conveys the love between husband and wife. The large piece is over 30cm tall. The back is hand-signed by Lisa Larson, indicating that the piece has been inspected.
■Details Manufacturer: Gustavsberg Designer: Lisa Larson Year: 1977
Condition: ★★★★★ (5: Perfect) There is no notable damage and no fading, so this is in deadstock condition. The multiple round marks on the bisque on the back are not stains, but marks from supports made during manufacturing. The color change occurs when the supports used to raise the bottom of the bisque in the furnace hit the bisque. There is a dent in the bottom right corner of the body, but this is due to the manufacturing process and not a scratch on the gold glaze applied to the surface.
■Lisa Larson (1931- )
He was born in Härlunda, a village of about 500 people in the Älmhult district of Kronoberg County in the Småland region of southern Sweden. As a child, he aspired to be a fashion designer, but after entering the Gothenburg University of the Arts, he studied ceramics. He was discovered by Stig Lindberg at a competition, and after a one-year probationary period, he officially joined Gustavsberg as a designer. Shortly after, in 1955, he released the Lilla zoo series, and in 1964 he 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.
