20th Century German Ribbed Ceramic Vase with Iznik Motifs by Icaro Rodi, 1920s

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Measurements:
height: 30.5 cm; diameter: 21 cm; weight: 2.387 kg

item :
impressive and rare glazed and vitrified artistic ceramic … Read more Measurements:
height: 30.5 cm; diameter: 21 cm; weight: 2.387 kg

item :
impressive and rare glazed and vitrified artistic ceramic vase, 30.5 cm high and 21 cm in diameter, entirely wheel-shaped and hand-painted. The vase bears the first and most important historical handwritten mark, "icaro rodi," under the base, precisely dating to the factory's earliest years, between 1930 and 1935. The work is distinguished by the refined sculptural structure of the body, punctuated by elegant vertical ribs in relief that create a dynamic play of light and shadow on the glazed surface. The rich and vibrant decoration, extending along the entire belly of the vase, masterfully reinterprets the classic floral motifs of the famous 16th-century iznik ceramic tradition (also known as the lindos style). The obverse features a large, sunburst carnation in warm hues of ochre and orange, flanked by a sumptuous, curved, and serrated feathery leaf (the typical "saz" leaf) painted in a deep cobalt blue and enriched with golden grains. Sinuous tendrils, lanceolate leaves shaded in copper green, and slender blue tulip buds complete the main composition, while the reverse features a lighter, more sparse floral bouquet that provides relief from the whiteness of the ground glaze. Close visual examination reveals the typical technical details of period firing in wood-fired or open-fire kilns: small imperfections and imperceptible crazing, known as "pinholes" in the glaze, are clearly visible—philological elements that attest to its absolute authenticity and its departure from any modern industrial standardization. This particular vase represents an extraordinary historical document, as it perfectly embodies the unique meeting and fusion between two of the most important ceramic schools of twentieth-century italy: the technical tradition of faenza and the artistic revolution of vietri sul mare. The i.c.a.r.o. Factory was founded in rhodes in 1928 by initiative of the italian government, which entrusted its structural management to distinguished faenza masters such as luigi de lerma and dario poppi. This faenza background is responsible for the geometric rigor of the workshops, the excellent quality of the clays, and the complex wheel-modeling of the vase's vertically ribbed structure. However, for the pictorial decoration of the pieces, the factory chose not to produce cold serial copies, but rather drew on the bold expressive freedom of vietri sul mare's celebrated "german period." it was luigi de lerma himself, who before moving to rhodes had been a key figure in the vietri kilns, who acted as a cultural bridge between the two worlds, bringing to the aegean the style of the "colony" of northern european artists active on the amalfi coast. The hand that decorated this vase, fully attributable to masters influenced by this partnership (such as the austrian egon huber, active at icaro since 1931, or the graphic influences of the german colony of vietri, including artists such as dölker, kowaliska, and de lerma), rejects eastern geometric symmetry in favor of a distinctly vietri style, characterized by a strong, instinctive black outline and free, textured brushstrokes. The vase thus represents a perfect and rare "marriage of art": it unites the craftsmanship of faenza with the pictorial and revolutionary spirit of vietri. A rare and important piece for art lovers and collectors.

information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
i.c.a.r.o. (industrie ceramiche artistiche rodio-orientali) was one of the most fascinating entrepreneurial and artistic ventures of twentieth-century ceramics. Founded in 1928 on the island of rhodes at the initiative of the italian government, the factory aimed to boost the local economy by reproducing the celebrated "lindos ceramics," which historical studies had revealed to be ottoman iznik ware. Under the technical direction of outstanding masters from the faenza school, the factory quickly became a cosmopolitan workshop. Icaro's strength lay in its ability to blend the geometric rigor of ancient oriental models with the bold chromatic freedom and primitivist touch brought by artists from the vietri school and northern europe. The period's production, abruptly interrupted and altered by the events of the second world war, remains a cornerstone of the decorative arts: the pieces created between 1929 and 1940 are today the subject of study in important publications and are preserved in prestigious private collections and museums throughout the mediterranean. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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