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Green Ceramic Art Deco Vase by Einar Luterkort for Upsala Ekeby, Sweden, 1940s.
About the Item
A beautiful Art Deco / Swedish Grace earthenware vase.
Made by Einar Luterkort for Upsala Ekeby in Sweden, 1940s.
Good original condition. Some light scuffs and scratches.
Impressed with makers mark.
Einar Luterkort (1905–1981) was a Swedish sculptor, ceramic artist, and draughtsman whose work bridged the worlds of fine art and decorative design. Although he is best known today for his public sculptures and animal figures, his early contributions to Swedish ceramics remain among the most distinctive expressions of Scandinavian Art Deco and early modernism. Throughout his career, Luterkort combined a sculptor’s understanding of form with a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, creating works characterised by elegance, vitality, and a strong sense of movement.
Born in Stockholm in 1905, Luterkort displayed artistic talent from an early age and pursued an extensive education that reflected his ambitious outlook. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm between 1926 and 1929 before continuing his training at some of Europe’s most prestigious institutions, including the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, and the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich. These experiences exposed him to both classical traditions and contemporary European movements, helping to shape the broad artistic vision that would define his work.
Upon returning to Sweden in the early 1930s, Luterkort established his own ceramic workshop in Stockholm, where he experimented with stoneware forms and glazes. During this period he developed a friendship with the young Stig Lindberg, who shared his interest in ceramic innovation. The workshop became a place of experimentation, reflecting the spirit of artistic renewal that characterised Swedish design during the interwar years.
At the same time, Luterkort joined Upsala-Ekeby, one of Sweden’s leading ceramic manufacturers. During his relatively brief tenure there, he designed a remarkable range of vases, bowls, relief-decorated dishes, figurines, and sculptural objects. His ceramics differed from much contemporary production through their pronounced sculptural quality. Human figures, animals, and relief motifs were integrated into vessel forms with a confidence that reflected his training as a sculptor. The resulting works combined decorative elegance with a sense of volume and movement that set them apart within Swedish ceramics of the period.
Although ceramics occupied an important place in his early career, sculpture increasingly became his principal field of expression. Throughout the following decades he created numerous public monuments, portrait sculptures, animal studies, and religious works. Animals became a recurring subject, whether depicted in motion or repose, and many of his most admired sculptures demonstrate an exceptional ability to capture both strength and grace. Works such as *Panter på trädstam* reveal his talent for simplifying form while preserving a vivid sense of life and character.
Alongside his artistic practice, Luterkort was an influential teacher. For many years he taught ceramics and sculpture at Viggbyholmsskolan outside Stockholm, where he encouraged younger artists to combine technical skill with creative independence. His role as an educator allowed him to pass on the knowledge and enthusiasm that had characterised his own formative years.
Luterkort’s artistic language was rooted in a respect for craftsmanship and material. Whether working in clay, terracotta, bronze, or stone, he approached each medium with the eye of a modeller. His forms are often distinguished by their clarity, rhythmic contours, and sensitivity to mass and proportion. While modernist in spirit, his work never abandoned the figurative tradition, instead seeking a balance between abstraction and observation.
When Einar Luterkort died in 1981, he left behind a diverse body of work that encompassed ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and public art. Today he is remembered as one of the versatile figures of Swedish twentieth-century art, equally at home in the ceramic studio and the sculptor’s workshop. His early ceramic designs for Upsala-Ekeby remain highly sought after by collectors, while his public sculptures continue to enrich parks, churches, and urban spaces throughout Sweden, testifying to a lifelong dedication to form, craftsmanship, and artistic expression.
- Creator:Einar Luterkort (Artist),Upsala Ekeby (Manufacturer)
- Similar to:Eva Jancke-Björk (Artist)Anna-Lisa Thomson (Artist)Ingrid Atterberg (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 5.71 in (14.5 cm)Diameter: 4.73 in (12 cm)
- Style:Art Deco (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1935-1945
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Malmö, SE
- Reference Number:Seller: 11011stDibs: LU8317250496772
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