Bowl 1894 - 1903

This earthenware bowl was crafted by George Ohr, an American potter, at the turn of the 20th century. Look at the vessel’s rim. Does its pinched and folded form remind you of a delicate blossom? The flower as a symbol has traversed millennia, embodying notions of ephemerality, beauty, and renewal. From ancient Egyptian lotus motifs symbolizing rebirth to Renaissance paintings where flowers conveyed complex allegories, floral imagery is deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. Consider Botticelli's "Primavera," where Flora scatters blossoms, a gesture of fertility and abundance. Ohr’s bowl, while not explicitly representational, echoes this life-affirming symbolism through its organic form and vibrant glazes. The way the vessel seems to almost writhe in our hands creates an emotional connection. The image resonates with a deep, almost primal understanding of nature's power and the cyclical rhythm of life and death. This is how symbols evolve, carrying echoes of the past into new forms.