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Lapislazzuli

Ettore Sottsass Italian, born Austria

Not on view

Part of Sottsass’s Indian Memory ceramics series, this teapot recalls the stepped, temple-tower form of the ziggurat, which has origins in ancient Mesopotamia and the Americas, and is also associated with the biblical Tower of Babel. The use of the ziggurat here reflects Sottsass’s interest in ancient and non-Western cultures, and his desire to infuse objects with symbolism and historical or spiritual references. Lapis lazuli, a blue semi-precious stone, is connected with healing and protection in Indian mythology.

Lapislazzuli, Ettore Sottsass (Italian (born Austria), Innsbruck 1917–2007 Milan), Ceramic

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