TWO RARE
BOSSONS JAZZ FIGURES
- Pottery Shelf Ornaments -
|
|
On public display for the first time, Dr. Hardisty shared the rare shelf ornaments for viewing at the 12th annual meeting of the IBCS in Burbank, CA, April 1997. They are part of the "Modern Pottery Series" which also contains five pottery figures for wall hanging: Indian & Liberian Dancer, Bullfighter, and the male and female Spanish Dancers.
|
|
|
As shown below, the copyrights are
included under the original glazed finish: |
||
|
When viewing these marvelous art works, one can experience the essence of jazz improvisation (the free flow of ideas) being interrelated through passionate dance movements. The figures are atypical Bossons life-like character studies in that the colorings and designs are restrained and suggestive of impressionism in art. Here, stark contrast is achieved between black forms and yellow highlights. Male and female dancers have a living appearance as they seem to inspire one another through a constant flow of rhythmic exuberance and sensuous beauty where the art of music and dance are united.
Click here for a full view of Jazz Figures
|
The male shown above (M) and
female shown below (F) Substance:
fired porcelain or pottery;
|
|
|
|
||
For perfect balance, Mr. Colin Melbourne, formerly head of Ceramics, Royal College of Art, and Principal of Burslem School of Art and Stoke-on-Trent College of Art and Ceramics, and who did free-lance modeling/sculpting for Bossons around 1959, calculated dimensions that allow for each ornament to stand on a base that is structurally integrated into the artistic lines. When viewed from front or rear (see photos above and below), the figures take on global symmetry that implicitly interprets a modern dance with elegance, grace and form.
Don Hardisty February 24, 1997
JAZZ FIGURES DISCOVERED IN 1999
|
|
Pictured here are the Jazz Figures that were cast in porcelain and gold trim. To date these prototypes in white porcelain are the only set known to exist. |
|
During the initial stage of creating and revising Bossons, several variations were often tried to determine the most artistic presentation and the most economically feasible mode of production. Initially, the white porcelain variations were planned to be finished in a "Wedgewood - like blue", trimmed in either gold or white. |
|
|
|
The process turned out to be too time consuming and Bossons optioned to produce the jazz figures in the beautiful ebony black as pictured earlier. These two white versions were then "shelved". Fortunately they are now in our private collection. Don Hardisty, July 2000 |
|
Click on any of the White Jazz Figures to see larger image. |
|
| PREVIOUS | HOME | NEXT |
