Ruscha “Filigran” decor, no base markings, (l. to r.) 18 cm, 28.5 cm, 20.5 cm

Mermaids, princesses living underwater, or both? It certainly seems as if Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 story The Little Mermaid may have been an inspiration for Ruscha designer Adele Bolz, who created this decor around 1960. The name of the decor, Filigran, means “filigree,” or ornamental work of fine wire formed into delicate tracery — an apt descriptor of the decor on these pieces, with their gossamer lines gently curving and swooping across the glaze. Translating movement into art came naturally for Bolz, who had been a ballet dancer prior to her life in ceramics. In Filigran, perhaps, she found a way to dance once more.