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Rosenthal Studio-Line “Lions” Designer Vase Duo Cuno Fischer & Bjørn Wiinblad
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Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 24 sales
Product description
Rosenthal Studio-Line – “Lions” Vase Duo
Cuno Fischer & Bjørn Wiinblad · White Porcelain with Polychrome Decoration · Germany
A refined and characterful duo from Rosenthal Studio-Line’s celebrated Lions series, created through the long-standing collaboration between Cuno Fischer (form) and Bjørn Wiinblad (decoration). Both vases presented here are the result of this cooperation, produced in different years and scales, and together they offer a concise insight into Rosenthal’s sustained dialogue between sculptural vessel design and graphic narration from the 1970s into the early 1990s.
The Designers
Cuno Fischer (1924–2016) was one of Rosenthal Studio-Line’s most important form designers. His vessels are defined by clarity, restraint, and architectural balance—neutral, almost classical shapes conceived as ideal carriers for surface experimentation. Fischer’s work provided a stable, modernist framework that allowed decorative concepts to unfold without ever overwhelming the object itself.
Bjørn Wiinblad (1918–2006), the Danish artist, illustrator, and designer, brought the opposite pole: fantasy, ornament, and narrative excess. His unmistakable visual language—dense line work, rhythmic patterning, stylized faces, and mythic creatures—draws on folklore, theatre, and illustration rather than strict modernist reduction. Within Rosenthal Studio-Line, Wiinblad’s designs function as a deliberate counterpoint to postwar functionalism, reintroducing storytelling and ornament into contemporary porcelain.
The Manufacture
Rosenthal Studio-Line, founded in 1961, became one of the most influential platforms for artistic experimentation in industrial porcelain. Under Philip Rosenthal’s direction, the company actively encouraged collaborations between sculptors, painters, architects, and designers—allowing form and decoration to remain distinct yet conceptually intertwined. The Lions series is a textbook example of this philosophy: modern vessel forms animated by a highly personal artistic hand.
The Vases
Vase 1 – Cuno Fischer & Bjørn Wiinblad (1977)
• Height: 20 cm
• Diameter: approx. 9 cm
• Glossy white porcelain with multicolour lion decoration
• Rosenthal Studio-Line mark, Germany
This earlier version presents Wiinblad’s lion in its most exuberant form: richly patterned, rhythmically composed, and gently surreal. The figure reads less as heraldic symbol and more as a narrative character—part fairytale, part graphic tapestry—wrapped around Fischer’s calm cylindrical body.
Vase 2 – Cuno Fischer & Bjørn Wiinblad (1991), Model 2767/22
• Height: 22 cm
• Diameter: approx. 11 cm
• Glossy white porcelain with polychrome lion motif
• Rosenthal mark with designer attribution, Germany
Produced later, this vase reflects a slightly more spacious and composed interpretation of the same collaboration. The proportions are broader, the imagery breathes more freely, and the decoration appears more balanced—demonstrating how the Fischer–Wiinblad dialogue evolved over time without losing its essential character.
Artistic & Design Context
Within the broader history of postwar European design, the Lions series occupies a fascinating position. At a time when much modern design was dominated by reduction and abstraction, these vases insist on ornament, figuration, and narrative—yet without abandoning formal discipline. They stand at the intersection of modernism and decorative art, of industrial production and artistic authorship.
Displayed together, this duo functions almost like a small retrospective: two moments of the same artistic partnership, separated by time but united by a shared design philosophy that values both structure and imagination.
Condition
Both vases are in very good vintage condition. No chips, cracks, or restorations. Colours remain vivid and glossy.
Provenance
Private collection, Germany.
General Information
Please explore our profile for more vintage vases!
International buyers: import duties or taxes, if applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility.
All items are photographed and described with care. Vintage pieces may show minimal traces of age; any significant flaws will be clearly mentioned.
Private sale under law: no returns, refunds, or warranties.
Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsWhite, Multi ColorMaterialPorcelainNumber of items2BrandRosenthalHeight22 cmWidth11 cmDepth11 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 24 sales