Courtesy of the estate of Rudolf Staffel and Meredith Harper Fine Art.
Rudolf Staffel’s work was dependent upon a single technical fact: porcelain is translucent. Around this one feature of the material, he built an extraordinarily varied and vivid vocabulary of form. He used layered application, glazed and matte surfaces, carving and incising, occasional blue tinting, and other effects to make each piece a unique painterly composition. Staffel called them Light Gatherers.
He preferred to show them under strong illumination, revealing the subtlety of his approach, which (almost uniquely in ceramic history) opened up a whole new dimension of composition: the thickness of the vessel wall. This enriches the conversation between the interior and exterior that happens in every pot, and also results in a highly dynamic viewing experience, as the piece takes on a different aspect under any given lighting condition.
Light Gatherer in translucent porcelain, hand-built from overlapping elements, with vitreous elements. Designed and made by Rudolf Staffel, USA, 1980s.
9.25" H x 6.25" D
23.5cm H x 15.9cm D
SC786
Courtesy of the Estate of the Artist and Meredith Harper Fine Art
Light Gatherer in translucent unglazed porcelain with cobalt oxide, hand built. Designed and made by Rudolf Staffel, USA, 1980s.
3.5" H x 9.5" D
8.9cm H x 24.1cm D
SC787
Courtesy of the Estate of the Artist and Meredith Harper Fine Art
Light Gatherer in translucent porcelain, hand-built and incised with vitreous elements and cobalt oxide. Designed and made by Rudolf Staffel, USA, 1968.
9" H x 8.25" D
22.9cm H x 21cm D
SC785
Courtesy of the Estate of the Artist and Meredith Harper Fine Art