MICHAEL POWOLNY
| About the artist | Judenburg 1871 – 1954 Vienna |
| Designed by | Michael Powolny, before 1912 |
| Executed by | Vereinigte Wiener und Gmundner Keramik, from 1916 on |
| Marked | each WK, GK; summer with paper label: "Keram. Werkstätten Gmunden Austria" |
| Dimensions | spring: H 79 cm/ 31.1 in summer: H 83 cm/ 32.7 in autumn: H 78 cm/ 30.7 in winter: H 82 cm/ 32.3 in |
| Material | ceramic, white glazing, decorated in black, excellent original condition |
| Provenance | private property, Austria |
| Shown | Pinacothèque de Paris, Paris, 2015 |
| Literature | Pinacothèque de Paris, Au Temps de Klimt – La Sécession à Vienne, Paris, 2015 p. 228 f; E. Frottier, Michael Powolny, Keramik und Glas aus Wien 1900–1950, cat. raisonné 176 and 199–202 |
"All four models for this 'Four Seasons' putto series are by the Austrian ceramicist, sculptor, glass and metal artist Michael Powolny. They were in serial production at 'Vereinigte Wiener und Gmundner Keramik' from 1916 to 1919 and also at the Wienerberger Company from 1915 onwards. In the famous Vienna Diana Baths, they were in the vestibule to the women’s baths in a double, coloured version set in niches designed by Otto Prutscher. There are a number of illustrations in contemporary literature and they are certainly regarded as one of the ceramicist’s special masterpieces. I have never seen this black and white version before and the variation seems to be very rare. These are particularly valuable objects by the famous ceramicist because of their rarity, and illustrations of them will certainly be included in any new addition of the Powolny monograph.” (Dr. Elisabeth Frottier, author of the Powolny monograph, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, 2012)
H73/25
