Blue Gradient Porcelain Vase Duo – Johan van Loon for Rosenthal, 1986

A striking pair of porcelain vases designed by Johan van Loon for Rosenthal Studio-Linie in 1986. United by their softly tapering silhouettes and gently irregular openings, the two pieces form a balanced composition of height, colour, and movement. The glossy glaze shifts from deep cobalt and turquoise into white, giving the duo a distinctly maritime atmosphere.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Larger vase (Model 3711/24): H 25 cm, W 15 cm, D 8.5 cm
    
  • Smaller vase (Model 3711/18): H 18.5 cm, W 11.5 cm, D 4.5 cm
    
• Material: Glossy glazed porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal Studio-Linie
  
• Designer: Johan van Loon
  
• Color: Blue, turquoise, white
  
• Era: 1980s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or restorations. Minimal age-related traces consistent with careful display.
  
• Remarks: Set of two

This duo carries an easy maritime mood — like deep water rising into sea foam, or wind moving across the surface of the North Sea. The blue gradient gives the pieces a fresh, fluid clarity, while the elongated forms recall sails, harbour markers, or weather-shaped coastal forms. Especially strong in interiors with linen, ash wood, brushed metal, or sandy neutral tones, where they bring in a subtle Baltic calm with a touch of colour.

Johan van Loon (1934–2019) was a Dutch ceramic and textile artist trained in textile design in Amsterdam, later turning to experimental ceramics. From 1980 onward he created sculptural, pleated and folded porcelain forms for Rosenthal in Selb, bringing a textile-like, architectural language into their Studio Line collections.

Rosenthal, founded in 1879 in Selb, Bavaria, is one of Germany’s most important porcelain manufacturers, recognised for combining industrial production with high design standards. With its Studio-Linie programme from the 1960s onwards, Rosenthal invited international artists and designers to create avant-garde forms and décors, making pieces like this set both functional objects and design collectibles.