Mid 20th Century Ceramic Vase by Argentinian Master Carlos Bartolini

Description

Large monumental “Archaeological Bowl” ceramic bowl by Argentinian and American Artist Carlos Bartolini.

This bowl is large, measuring 24 inches … more Large monumental “Archaeological Bowl” ceramic bowl by Argentinian and American Artist Carlos Bartolini.

This bowl is large, measuring 24 inches wide, 11 deep, 8 high including the applique crescent design. It is in very good condition. There are minor flea bite chips along the upper edges, but the applique crescent is still is solidly attached and the bowl has a slight ring to it showing that there are no cracks. Weight of bowl alone is 18 lb 6.8 oz (8358g).

Brief Biography:
Originally active in Buenos Aires in the 1950's Carlos Bartolini was one of the more prominent names associated with the rise of the post war Argentinian art pottery movement along with Leo Tavella and Louise Furth.
In 1958 he was one of the three original prize winners in the Argentine Center for Ceramic Art (CAAC) First Annual exhibition. He won the national prize again in 1965.
Bartolini was active in Argentina until the mid-1960's when he relocated to New York. He soon made a name for himself as a sculptor exhibiting with artists including Donald Mavros.
Within a few years he was exhibiting pottery forms alongside sculptural works, including works like this “Archaeological Bowl” likely dating to the late 1960's or early 1970's. A similar deeply carved bowl by Bartolini was described in a review of the 1967 show "Artist-Craftsmen of New York" held at the National Design Center, New York, May 10 - June 22, 1967 (Cited in Craft Horizons September/October 1967. Unfortunately photographs did not accompany the review).

His pottery style was in part distinguished by their deeply carved designs (as referenced in a separate Craft Horizons issue of February 1974) and he had a gallery in Greenwich Village during this same era (Dilettante Magazine, July 1974).

By the late 1970's his work had transitioned to largely industrial forms including several copyrighted designs for ceramic lamp bases.

Since 2011 one of the top prizes at the Argentine Center for Ceramic Art annual exhibition has been named in his honor. less