Harald Östergren Art Deco Bottle Vase

An Art Deco bottle vase by Harald Östergren for Upsala Ekeby, Sweden, 1925. 

Whilst the copper glaze and simplicity of this vase are both characteristic of modern design of the 1920’s, this softened, organic rendition of Art Deco appears to also display nuances and signifiers of Art Nouveau, with the classical handle and incised decoration that hints at a petal or a peacock’s feather.

Östergren studied design in both Sweden and Germany, and this transitional object perhaps displays specifically the influence of the germanic Jugendstil movement. This branch of Art Nouveau is characteristically cleaner, pairing organic motifs with simple shapes and geometry.