スウェーデンの国民的作家が生んだ 手のひらに宿る北欧の物語
This is a ceramic statue of a cat (Katt) from the Stora Zoo series designed by Lisa Larson for Gustavsberg in 1958. It is one of the early works created when Lisa Larson made her debut as a ceramic artist.
Lisa Larson joined Gustavsberg in 1954 at the young age of 23. The small cat with a standing tail that she had submitted to a competition in 1953, while still a student, caught the eye of Stig Lindberg, who later released it as the "Lilla Zoo" series. Lisa Larson is known as a cat lover and has always lived with pet cats. She has created about 30 works with cat motifs in her lifetime, including the ceramic statue of a sleeping cat named Mozef, which was modeled after her actual pet cat.
The "Little Zoo" series became a huge hit at the time due to its novelty. Following its success, "Stora Zoo" was released in 1958, featuring larger animals. The basic design is a direct successor to Lisa Larson's Stora Zoo, but this ceramic statue is over 30cm wide, about the size of a real kitten. Its dimensions are 32.5cm wide, 11cm high, and 8cm deep, making it ideal for use as interior decoration in large spaces such as near a window.
The fur is like that of a pheasant, and the moist texture of the glaze gives it a calming effect. The cute mouth and the tail stretched out to the side give it a natural look, as if it were walking and suddenly turning towards you. The roundness of the buttocks when seen from behind is also very cute, and it shows the characteristic of a cat walking while wagging its buttocks. Lisa Larson has created several cat pieces, but this is one of her earliest works and is an outstanding ceramic statue among the vintage pieces.
■Details Manufacturer: Gustavsberg Designer: Lisa Larson Series name: Stora Zoo / Big Zoo
Title: Katt
Era: 1958-1979 Country of Origin: Sweden
Condition: ★★★★★ (5: Complete)
There are no cracks, chips or crazing, and some of the stickers remain. It is in perfect condition, retaining the original appearance from the time of production. This is an excellent piece of Stora Zoo Katt, with little traces of shaping and excellent shape. Sticker marks can be seen on the abdomen.
■Size
Width 32cm Height 11cm Depth 9cm
Gustavsberg
Gustavsberg is a long-established Swedish pottery manufacturer founded in 1825. For more information on the history of the company , please see this article♪ The company produced bathtubs and other housing equipment, but from the late 19th century onward, they focused on producing artistic ceramics, and their name became widely known. I did. Known for its simple and beautiful designs with motifs of nature and folklore, it is a manufacturer that led Scandinavian design in the 20th century.
It produced many outstanding artists such as Lisa Larsson and Stig Lindberg, and was a central figure in the ``Mid-Century'' art movement of the mid-20th century in Northern Europe. Even today, it is highly praised for its high artistry, technical ability, and unique design that evokes the Nordic climate.
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.
