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Bowl Object by German (GDR) artist & ceramist Karl Fulle 1990s Studio Ceramic Art
€1,999Bid from €1,800
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About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 23 sales
Product description
Object by German (GDR) artist & ceramist Karl Fulle (*1950)
Monumental Geometric Ceramic Object
Early 1990s · Artist-Confirmed · Geometrische Phase
A monumental sculptural ceramic object by Karl Fulle, personally confirmed by the artist as an authentic work from the early 1990s, belonging to his celebrated *geometrische Phase*.
Measuring approximately 42 × 42 cm with a height of 10 cm, this work represents a mature and refined example of Fulle’s folded architectural constructions — positioned between vessel, relief, and sculpture.
Artist Confirmation & Provenance
In direct correspondence, Karl Fulle identified this piece as his.
He further explained that beginning in the 1980s, he developed a distinctive process of painting coloured engobes onto plaster plates, pressing clay into these painted surfaces, and assembling the resulting panels like folded paper.
This work is a late and particularly refined example from that experimental period.
Documentation of the artist’s confirmation can be provided upon request.
Form & Concept
The object is constructed from folded ceramic planes, forming a sharply faceted square structure that converges toward a deep central void. The interior mass rises dark and compressed, generating spatial tension between containment and structure.
The geometry is neither carved nor wheel-thrown — it is constructed.
The form recalls paper folding translated into clay.
The surface is integral to the construction: layered engobes and oxides were transferred through pressure, creating painterly yet controlled fields of colour.
Earth tones — rust, ochre, muted green, grey — move across the planes like abstracted landscapes mapped onto architecture.
This is not a functional bowl.
It is ceramic sculpture.
Artistic Context
Born in 1950 in Steinbach (Eichsfeld), Karl Fulle studied ceramics (1971–1977) at Burg Giebichenstein Halle under Gertraud Möhwald and Prof. Martin Wetzel.
He has:
• Been a member of the Verband Bildender Künstler (since 1980)
• Been a member of Verband Kunst und Form e.V. (since 1990)
• Held a guest professorship at Burg Giebichenstein (2004–2006)
• Been a member of the Académie Internationale de la Céramique (Geneva) since 2007
His works are represented in major museum collections including:
• Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin
• Keramik-Museum Berlin
• GRASSI Museum Leipzig
• Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
• Stiftung Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen
• Stiftung KERAMION
Recipient of the Staats- und Förderpreis für Kunsthandwerk des Landes Brandenburg (1994).
This object belongs to the pivotal transitional period of the early 1990s — immediately after German reunification — when Fulle’s sculptural language gained increased formal clarity and surface refinement.
Technique
Material: High-fired stoneware
Construction: Hand-built slab construction
Surface: Coloured engobe transfer technique
Finish: Matte
Signed with the artist’s monogram.
Condition
Very good condition.
One small corner was professionally restored by a specialist ceramic conservator.
The restoration is structurally stable and visually discreet.
The price reflects both the restoration and the confirmed authorship.
Why This Work Matters
• Monumental 42 cm format
• Artist-confirmed authenticity
• Identified as part of the “geometric phase”
• Mature early 1990s example
• Museum-collected artist
• International Academy of Ceramics member
This is a documented, large-scale sculptural work — not decorative studio pottery.
Ideal for collectors of:
• Contemporary German ceramic art
• Post-1970 European sculptural ceramics
• Architectonic object art
• Museum-level applied arts
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Please explore my profile for more museum-grade ceramic works and collectible sculptural objects.
International buyers welcome. Import duties or taxes, if applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility.
All items are photographed and described with care. Restoration is disclosed transparently.
Private sale under German law:
No returns, refunds, or warranties.
Buyer information is used solely to complete the transaction and arrange shipment.
Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsGrey, Beige, Brown, Taupe, Multi Color, Orange, Creme, Yellow, BlackMaterialCeramicNumber of items1OrientationLandscapeArt sizeSmallHeight10 cmWidth42 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 23 sales