Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker, monumental vase, circa 1960

Unique monumental vase in glazed stoneware by the German ceramic artist Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker, created at the Schäffenacker Workshop in Ulm in the 1960s-1970s. Unique, unnumbered work. 56 × 19 × 16 cm. Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker (1921-2010) is one of the major figures in post-war German ceramics. He developed his famous Gefäßskulpturen ("vase sculptures"), where the vase becomes a sculpture inspired by architecture and mineral landscapes. Unlike the numbered models produced in small series by his workshop from moulds, this monumental work is a unique creation, designed outside of his published repertoire. Its polygonal shape and ash glaze with ferruginous ochres, manganese blacks, and firing reactions fully illustrate his sculptural language. Schäffenacker's works are held in numerous public and private collections and have contributed to the international recognition of post-war German ceramics. This exceptional monumental vase is a unique, unnumbered work in excellent condition.