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XL "Liguria” Gilbert Portanier Rosenthal Artist Porcelain Bowl Serving Plate
€220
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About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 20 sales
Product description
Rosenthal Studio-Line – Gilbert Portanier
“Liguria” Wall Bowl / Shallow Dish
Porcelain · Germany · late 1970s–1980s
Offered here is a rare wall bowl from Rosenthal Studio-Line, designed by Gilbert Portanier, titled Liguria. The price applies per item; two identical examples are available.
Executed in matte porcelain with deep, saturated decoration on a dark ground, Liguria belongs to Portanier’s mature Rosenthal period, in which he translated his painterly, ceramic language into serial yet highly expressive objects. The composition unfolds as a dense constellation of biomorphic signs, ornamental fragments, and rhythmic colour fields—suggestive of Mediterranean landscapes, archaic symbolism, and musical notation rather than literal imagery.
The palette—earthy reds, ochres, blues, and muted greens—floats against a charcoal-grey surface, creating a striking tension between ground and gesture. The result is neither purely decorative nor illustrative: it operates as a ceramic painting, intended to be read frontally, most often displayed on the wall.
Artistic Context – Gilbert Portanier
Gilbert Portanier (1926–2023) was one of the central figures of postwar French ceramic art. Closely associated with Vallauris and the generation around Picasso (though stylistically independent), Portanier developed a distinctive language combining abstraction, calligraphy, and symbolic figuration. His work consistently blurred the boundaries between painting, ceramics, and applied art.
Portanier’s collaboration with Rosenthal Studio-Line represents a key moment in the late 20th century, when Rosenthal invited leading artists—not industrial designers—to work directly with porcelain as a medium of artistic expression. These editions retain the spontaneity and visual density of Portanier’s studio ceramics, translated with exceptional technical precision.
Manufacture – Rosenthal Studio-Line
Produced in Germany by Rosenthal Studio-Line, these bowls exemplify the brand’s ambition from the 1960s onward: to position porcelain at the intersection of fine art, design, and architecture. The matte surface enhances the painterly quality of the decoration, absorbing light rather than reflecting it, and reinforcing the object’s mural character.
Details
• Manufacturer: Rosenthal Studio-Line, Germany
• Artist: Gilbert Portanier
• Title: Liguria
• Material: Porcelain, matte finish
• Colour: Dark ground with multicolour decoration
• Height: approx. 7.5 cm
• Diameter: approx. 36 cm
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or restorations observed
Two identical bowls available. Price is per item.
Metal display stand shown in photos is not included.
A highly collectible piece for admirers of postwar European ceramic art, Rosenthal Studio-Line, and Portanier’s unmistakable visual language—equally compelling as a wall object or as a shallow sculptural dish.
General Information
Please explore our profile for more vintage vases and collectible design objects.
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
ConditionExcellentColorsGold, Multi Color, BlackMaterialPorcelainNumber of items1BrandRosenthalHeight7 cmWidth36 cmDepth36 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 20 sales