Light Gatherer

Rudolf Staffel, Light Gatherer, 1987, porcelain, 9 ¹⁄₄ x 6 ¹⁄₄ x 5 ¹⁄₄ in. (23.5 x 15.9 x 13.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of KPMG Peat Marwick, 1993.54.14

Artwork Details

Title: Light Gatherer
Artist: Rudolf Staffel
Date: 1987
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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4th Floor
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53A
Dimensions: 9 ¹⁄₄ x 6 ¹⁄₄ x 5 ¹⁄₄ in. (23.5 x 15.9 x 13.4 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of KPMG Peat Marwick
Mediums: porcelain
Mediums Description: porcelain
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Object Number: 1993.54.14
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1993.54.14

Artwork Description

Rudolf Staffel created his porcelain works by pinching, scouring, and folding the clay. He manipulated the thickness of each vessel's walls so that the light creates different patterns and shapes as it filters through. Staffel began his "Light Gatherers" series in the mid-1950s. At first, he stained the pieces with colors, but in later years as the series evolved he chose to maintain the pure, unglazed white of the porcelain, with only an occasional hint of color. He began some of the pieces on a potter's wheel, while others he hand built for an uneven, layered appearance. Each work is unique, but all of the pieces in the series share the ability to capture and transmit light.