A pair of Vienna Secession ceramic candle holders in the form of putti holding flowers by Michael Powolny for Weiner Keramik in his signature stark black and white, circa 1907. These candlesticks have become a pair at some stage during their lifetime with one likely starting life as a lamp base (evidenced by a small round hole to the rim of one of the bases for electrical wiring). Because both have come from the same size mould they match up nicely and were acquired by us as a pair.
Powolny was born in Judenburg, Austria in 1871 and was trained in the art of pottery from an early age, eventually becoming a professor at the Kunstgewerbeschule, Vienna where he studied. In 1897 he went on to help form the Vienna Secession movement; a group of young artists and architects who helped bring modernism to continental Europe alongside such names as Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser. Powolny founded the Wiener Keramik with Berthold Loffler in 1906, it then became part of Gmundner Keramik six years later. Both Powolny and Loffler also designed pieces for the Wiener Werkstatte.
Condition - One candlestick has an insert missing. The candlestick to the left of the 1st image had had restorations around the central hip area of the putti, with an old repair evident. Each of the putti have some crazing and fleabites which are commensurate with age and use. Despite these small losses the pair present well and unless closely inspected are nicely matched and are beautiful objects for a display cabinet, or for use as candlesticks as they were designed to be.
Measures - 18cm H x 12cm D (at base)