Henry Van de Velde #6493 - Vase - 1902

Around 1902–1903, Van de Velde designed a series of ceramic vases for the German pottery manufacturer Reinhold Hanke in Höhr-Grenzhausen. They were produced in high-fired stoneware, often featuring characteristic salt glazes and understated Jugendstil motifs.

This vase is a fine example of Van de Velde’s rare early ceramic Jugendstil designs, which incorporate colored glazes.

Its rounded, bold yet restrained form and clean, flowing lines are characteristic of his designs—whether in pottery and porcelain, silver cutlery, furniture, jewelry, or clothing.

The vase features a relief design of highly stylized seagulls flying above waves. This horizontally repeating motif creates the effect of fluid, rhythmic movement.

Note the sharp, dark outlines that accentuate the vase's triangular, pierced neck.

The vase bears Henry van de Velde’s signature and stands 20 cm tall.

A similar piece is held in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, while an undecorated, yellow-glazed version—from the Passage Arts Collection—is in the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.