Gzhel vase, Russia, second half of the 20th century.

Gzhel vase, Russia, second half of the 20th century.
In Gzhel ceramics.
With manufacturing marks and signature on the base.
Measurements: 31 x 16,5 cm.

Polychrome and glazed ceramic vase, in different shades of blue on white, with a profusion of floral motifs. On a bulbous body grows a long neck that ends in a sinuous mouth of wavy edge. The decorative treatment reveals the influence of the Russian ceramic tradition of oriental inspiration.

Gzhel pottery is a traditional Russian style that takes its name from the town of Gzhel and its surroundings, southeast of Moscow. It is characterized by its distinctive blue decoration on a white background on fine earthenware and porcelain wares. Although its origins in potteries date back to the 16th century, organized production in guilds and then factories (from 1802) allowed the use of molds and a great expansion. By the 1830s, Gzhel products, which included tableware, toys and statues, came to compete with English pottery and even Chinese porcelain, being exported within Russia and abroad from about thirty towns.