Vase with applied bats Paul Dachsel Amphora ca. 1901
Vase with applied bats and water plants, design Paul Dachsel ca. 1897, manufactured by Amphora-Werke Riessner, Stellmacher & Kessel, ca. 1901, ceramics, marked
marked at the bottom with crown, “AMPHORA”, “AUSTRIA”, model no. “668”, modeler no. “41” Bib.: comp. Richard L. Scott (ed.), “Ceramics from the House of Amphora 1890-1915”, Sidney/Ohio 2004, p.127
Description
Among the most popular products of the Amphora company were ceramics depicting fearsome animals such as dragons and saurians. Bats, a motif very popular with collectors, can already be found on exhibits for the World Exhibition Paris 1900.
In this vase, Paul Dachsel combines floral elements of Art Nouveau with grotesque animal depictions characteristic for Amphora. In a naturalistic microcosm, the viewer is led from the still water-surface to a buzzing flock of bats at the top rim. Plastically molded lotus leaves cover the bottom, their veined stalks artfully twisting up the wall, leaves and stems partly protruding and artfully applied to the vase.
Bats of different sizes dance around the rim, almost as magically drawn to their food source consisting of berries. This detail is masterfully crafted and testifies to the superb technical capabilities of the modelers. The applied openwork technique gives an impression of the innovative strength at Amphora works.
The glaze in predominantly beige-brown hues is beautifully accented by delicate iridescence.
Overall, the object is in an exceptionally good, unrestored condition. This can be considered a real rarity in ceramic objects from the period.
Execution
The "Amphora-Werke k.k. priv. Keramische Werke Rießner, Stellmacher & Kessel" was founded in 1892 by Hans and Carl Rießner, Eduard Stellmacher and Rudolf Kessel in Turn-Teplitz. The Austro-Hungarian company produced high quality ceramic objects and is one of the most famous manufactories of the Art Nouveau period. Soon after its founding, the company employed 300 people and exported its sought-after products all over the world. Besides rather commercial products, more elaborate objects were created for world exhibitions and other international art fairs. These partly monumental exhibits include vases with grotesque animal creatures such as dragons and sea monsters, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, as well as vessels with maiden and delicate female figures in allegorical designs. The high-quality standards of the founding members brought along the so-called "ivory porcelain", a glazed thin-walled type of ceramics, which was often enhanced with gold, cold enamel painting and gemstones. Even then, the company won high awards with this technique and the elaborate surface design, including four "Grand Prix" at various world exhibitions. Today, exceptional specimens are represented in famous art nouveau museums such as the Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe and the Bröhan Museum, Berlin.
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