Open sugar bowl c. 1924 - 1926

This earthenware open sugar bowl was made in Schierbach, Hesse, Germany by the Waechtersbach Earthenware Factory. Look at the way the grid pattern is used, like a digital signal, a low-res reminder that even the most functional objects carry meaning. The cool white surface and the evenly distributed blue squares evoke a sense of order and precision, something that has echoes with artists like Agnes Martin. But unlike her work, the regularity is punctuated by the handmade irregularity of the checkered pattern, where slight imperfections give it a human feel. Notice how each square varies slightly in size and shape. The placement of these squares isn't random, their even placement creates a visual rhythm, an understated pattern that highlights the curvature and form of the bowl. It’s humble and useful, a simple pleasure, and an echo of a different time. This kind of object shows how everything we use and make has the capacity to communicate ideas.