Name: Memento Mori: Skull on Bible Sculpture by László Mattyasovszky Zsolnay
Brand: Zsolnay
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

Memento Mori: Skull on Bible Sculpture by László Mattyasovszky Zsolnay

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About the Item

For centuries, the skull has been used as a reminder of one’s mortality and the fragility of human life. Memento mori is a latin term meaning: “remember, you must die.” Keeping reminders of inevitable death was not simply done in a macabre sense; it was a practical daily prompt to live life on the straight and narrow to ensure eternal salvation. The religious implications of this porcelain object are clear, as this skull sits atop a bible and adjacent to a rosary. What sets this memento mori apart is its rather startling glaze. Burnished tones ignite in metallic iridescence which change colors with every angle of light’s reflection. Zsolnay introduced its patented shiny metallic glaze, known as eosin, in 1893. The small family ceramics workshop begun in Pecs, Hungary by Miklos Zsolnay in 1853, had evolved into a world-class ceramics factory by this time. Zsolnay walked away with the Grand Prix at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris for its art pottery. Now under the stewardship of Vilmos Zsolnay, the firm began hiring sculptors and other artists. Chemist, Vincse Wartha, became their artistic director. His crystalline metallic glazes applied to porcelain gave their Art Nouveau creations a distinctive style. Eosin became the rage, and it could soon be found adorning just about anything from public fountains to porcelain vases. Lajos Mack (1876 - 1963) was one of Zsolnay’s most accomplished sculptors and designers. A student of the Akademie der bildenden Kunste Wien (Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna), Lajos Mack worked for Zsolnay from 1899 until 1916, when he was drafted into the military during WWI. His memento mori glazed in acid green, red and gold eosin was the perfect modern way to remind himself and others to keep one’s proverbial feet on the ground, even as his career was taking off to inevitable star status.

Creator:
Zsolnay (Workshop/Studio)
Dimensions:
Height: 3 in (7.62 cm)Width: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)Depth: 3.5 in (8.89 cm)
Style:
Art Nouveau (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Earthenware,Glazed
Place of Origin:
Hungary
Period:
1890-1899
Date of Manufacture:
c. 1898
Condition:
Excellent original condition.
Seller Location:
Chicago, US
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU7300242019742

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