Designed by Michael Powolny, this Herm centrepiece is a characteristic work of Wiener Keramik dating from the period between 1906 and 1912. Although the firm’s production at this time consisted primarily of utilitarian ceramics, its designs were distinguished by a consistently high artistic standard. Powolny excelled in combining functional objects with sculptural modelling and a clear, restrained formal vocabulary.
\nWhile many Wiener Keramik centrepieces are supported by putti or other playful figures, Powolny adopted a more austere, classically inspired approach for this model. Two stylized female herms support a gilt bowl upon their heads. The herm\u2014originally an ancient sculptural form consisting of a pillar surmounted by a head and shoulders\u2014is here translated into a modern idiom in keeping with the aesthetics of the Jugendstil.<\/p>\n
The white earthenware body provides a striking contrast to the delicate gilding of the bowl. The deliberately restrained colour palette recalls the refined aesthetic of the Vienna Secession and underscores the timeless appeal of Powolny’s design.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Centerpiece with herms, design by Michael Powolny, execution by Wiener Keramik, ca. 1907, ceramic, white body, glazed in natural white, with fired-on gold, accents, marked<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":39720,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[386],"product_tag":[],"class_list":["post-39731","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-art-nouveau","first","instock","shipping-taxable","purchasable","product-type-simple"],"yoast_head":"\n