Teapot with saucer from -Tea for Two- service c. 1930

Here’s a porcelain tea set, including a teapot and saucer, by Eric Slater. The color palette is fairly minimal, just black, orange, and beige, but the arrangement of the abstract shapes creates a sense of visual rhythm. I’m drawn to the geometric patterns, which are clearly defined, but also allow for slight variations and imperfections. The orange and yellow segments remind me of sun rays, with the black accents acting as a sort of eclipse, cutting off the flow of light. Look at the triangles on the cups, for instance. Each one is slightly different in its angles and proportions, yet they come together to form a harmonious whole. The hard lines and sharp angles feel very contemporary, and remind me a little of Mondrian, though he was using painting to get at something very different. Despite the clean lines and sparse palette, Slater invites playfulness, reminding us that art is always an ongoing conversation between artists and across time.