“Stop to appreciate the raw, organic beauty of this stoneware vase. Its rugged texture and earthy glazes capture a moment in Danish design when artists were celebrating the expressive power of natural materials.”
This stoneware vase, made in 1948, presents a robust, organic form that feels both ancient and strikingly modern. Its surface is a landscape of earthy tones, with glazes that ripple and pool, creating a textured, almost geological effect. The irregular contours suggest a hand-built quality, a deliberate departure from industrial perfection, which was a significant trend in Danish ceramics during the mid-20th century. Look closely at how the light catches the uneven surface, revealing subtle shifts in color from deep ochre to a muted, almost volcanic gray. This piece embodies a fascination with natural materials and forms, transforming humble clay into a sculptural object that invites touch and close inspection. It speaks to a moment when artists were exploring the expressive potential of craft, pushing the boundaries of functional design into the realm of abstract art.
- Artist
- Mogens Balle
- Date
- 1948
- Medium
- Stoneware and glaze
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 15.4 × 13.4 × 13.3 cm (6 1/8 × 5 5/16 × 5 1/4 in.)
- Collection
- Arts of the Americas
- Culture
- Oakland
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William G. Swartchild Jr.
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The rich, varied texture of the glaze, like cooled lava.
Subtle shifts in color from deep brown to lighter, sandy tones.
The irregular, almost asymmetrical shape of the vase's body.
The slightly flared, organic opening at the top.
1 more detail is waiting.
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Mogens Balle
1921–1988 · Kingdom of DenmarkMogens Balle, a Danish painter, created vibrant, abstract works, often exploring the spontaneous and experimental.
Further Works by Balle
Daniel Webster
Art Institute of Chicago
The Ball
Art Institute of Chicago
The Masked Ball
Art Institute of Chicago
Bottle
1950 · Art Institute of Chicago
Feet with Campbell's Soup Can
1960 · Art Institute of Chicago
Feet with Sea Shells
1960 · Art Institute of Chicago
Untitled
1966 · Art Institute of Chicago
Mt. Negoi in Transylvania Alps Near Faragas Romania Eur Asia
1967 · Art Institute of Chicago
More from CoBrA
More works to explore
Beyond Balle and CoBrA: works from the same years.
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Greyed Rainbow
Jackson Pollock · 1953 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Sun Spot
Yayoi Kusama · 1953 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Impregnazione
Piero Manzoni · 1958
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Essai
Sam Francis · 1963 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
The Indestructibles
Philip Evergood · 1946 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
The Temptation of St. Anthony
Ivan Puni · 1945 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Nighthawks
Okada Saburosuke · 1942 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
The Secret
Pierre Alechinsky · 1956 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Mattamathics
Max Ernst · 1948 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
The Dugout
Norman Rockwell · 1948 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Wheatfield
Georges Braque · 1951 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1930s–1960s
Untitled (Woman-Bottle)
René Magritte · 1943 · Art Institute of Chicago

