Ettore Sottsass, Jr. was fascinated by the cultural significance of ceramics, their ancient history and daily domestic use. His wild and imaginative designs, free from the concern of technical realities, found a balancing counterpart in the pragmatic approach of Aldo Londi, the artistic director of the Bitossi ceramics factory. Together, Sottsass and Londi sought to create more than just passive ornaments but ceramics that would allow one to develop a more engaged relationship between the object and the artificial environment it is placed in. The group of ceramics offered here presents a myriad of textures, shapes, sizes, colours and reflects Sottsass’ desire to explore the infinite possibilities of modelling.
For his Tantra and Yantra ceramics series (see lot 117), Sottsass drew inspiration from mystical diagrams of the Indian philosophy. The sharp-edged and compacted designs of the Ceramiche a Colaggio (see lot 115 and 116) contrast the flowing sequence of ripples in the Onde series (see lot 113). Ettore Sottsass, Jr. extended the limits of expression for future generations of architects and designers whilst creating some of the finest ceramics of the twentieth century.