Belleek Pottery Works Company Ltd, Belleek, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Oval Basket with Lid, 1863-1891
Porcelain with mother of pearl glaze, 6 x 13 x 9 inches
Bequest of Dr. Robert E. Gregg
1996.2
Appearance of perfection is an important aspect of expertly crafted Irish Belleek pottery. Originally producing high end earthenware, Belleek became known for Parian ware, a type of porcelain made from ground feldspar, china clay, and frit. Flexibility is key, as the parian needs to be rolled into very thin coils for the purpose of weaving them together to create a variety of intricate lightweight forms, such as this basket. Finally, a team of specialized potters creates and applies decorative elements. Arranged elegantly on top, hand-formed flowers or leaves sculpted from clay are made even more plastic with the addition of gum arabic. The wicker-patterned bottom is either hand-crafted or mold-made.
Salvador Dalí was a gifted artist whose talents were recognized at age fifteen when he was awarded his first exhibition. He experimented with many different forms of expression throughout his career, but is best remembered for his Surrealist paintings of the 1930s and 1940s. He was introduced to the writings of Sigmund Freud, André Breton, Federico García Lorca, and the films of Luis Buñuel, all of whom had profound impact on his artistic outlook. This particular composition was inspired by a view of his wife, Gala, seen from a window as she sat on a beach in Cadaqués. “…a back sublime, athletic and fragile, terse and tender, feminine and wiry.”