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Image of Lady of the Lily

Artus Van Briggle

American
(1869–1904)


Lady of the Lily
1902

Earthenware
11 x 11 x 8.5 in.
Promised Gift from the Collection of George R. Wanlass

The Lady of the Lily vase was designed by Artus Van Briggle in 1900, and this particular piece was likely made by him in 1902. The subject, the woman’s languid pose as she leans against a giant lily, and the color palette, evoke the Art Nouveau style that made Van Briggle famous. The satin matte glaze is the result of the artist’s extensive research on glazes, which he pursued after his stay in Europe. This subject became an important design in the company’s repertoire. One of Van Briggle Art Pottery’s 1920s advertisements described the piece as “One of the most artistic conceptions of any American potter,” and the pottery continued to produce it for many years.

Born in Felicity, Ohio, in 1869, Artus Van Briggle moved to Cincinnati, where he studied art and began his career. Van Briggle started as a potter at Avon Pottery and later worked at the Rookwood Pottery Company, where his talent was recognized and supported. In 1893, the company helped him study in Paris, where he attended the Académie Julian, explored museum collections, and met Anne Lawrence Gregory, who would later become his wife. They returned to the United States in 1896, and Van Briggle resumed his work at Rookwood while attempting to recreate the lost matte glazes of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, he moved to Colorado Springs in 1899, where he experimented with local clay and other materials. In 1901, he and his wife founded Van Briggle Pottery, which achieved immediate success and gained an important position within the American art pottery movement.

Both Artus and Anne created numerous Art Nouveau pottery designs, and Van Briggle earned accolades in the U.S. and France, including first place at the Paris Salon in 1903. After Artus's death in 1904, Anne continued to run the company for several years, using existing models and creating new designs. The company changed ownership and locations multiple times but remained active, producing pottery in the spirit of its founder until its closure in 2012.

Sara Eco Conti

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