Pair of dancers Michael Powolny Wiener Keramik ca. 1907

In a graceful pose, the dancers are stepping into an elegant sway, their upper bodies dramatically arched backwards. Their dark robes are lavishly adorned with floral motifs – a striking interplay of color, ornamentation, and movement. The finely crafted drapery of their garments, the elaborate hairstyles, and the intricate floral decorations lend the figures a vivid sense of plasticity, offering Michael Powolny ample opportunity to showcase his virtuosity in ceramics.
This pair of dancers is a prime example of Powolny’s distinctive, imaginatively decorative style. His dancers rank among the iconic creations of the Wiener Werkstätte and have come to symbolize a carefully staged joie de vivre and elegance, embodying the spirit of the Secessionist movement, whose ideals Powolny masterfully translated into ceramic form.