Description
The Sgraffito Figure plate is a circular ceramic work in which a human figure—seen from behind, wearing a hat and holding raised arms—is engraved directly onto the high-fired porcelain surface. Luis Mandiola uses the sgraffito technique to carve through layers of clay and glaze, revealing the underlying raw material and creating a composition defined by fine, precise lines and the deep blue of absorbed cobalt pigment.
The figure is armored or mechanical: the body, composed of cylindrical joints and a pattern of horizontal stripes, gives it the quality of a constructed object—part automaton, part warrior, part ceremonial object. The circular format, evoking ritual objects and pre-Columbian vessels, frames the figure with a sense of intimacy and wholeness. The creamy white surface and subtle relief grant the work a calm and contemplative character.
Mandiola’s figurative plates place the human image within a tradition of circular ceramic forms that extends from pre-Columbian culture throughout the history of decorated ceramic art. This is a unique piece, high-fired and handmade in Chile.
“Porcelain, enamel and pigments. Year 1973. 9.8 x 0.6 in.”
Ideal for: Collectors of contemporary ceramic art and figurative sculpture.
Ideal for: Collectors of contemporary ceramic art and figurative sculpture.
