Op Art Relief Bisque Porcelain Duo - Martin Freyer for Rosenthal, 1970s

Pair of 18 cm porcelain vases with deeply recessed geometric relief and a sharp rectangular silhouette. The white and black contrast gives the duo a crisp optical presence, while the matte surface heightens shadow, texture, and rhythm.

• Dimensions:
  
  • White vase: H 18 cm, W 8.5 cm, D 6.5 cm
    
  • Black vase: H 18 cm, W 8.5 cm, D 6.5 cm
• Material: Bisque porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designer: Martin Freyer
  
• Color: White, black
  
• Era: 1970s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; minor wear consistent with age and handling; no cracks or chips
  
• Remarks: Set of two

This Martin Freyer duo has a clean, graphic tension that works especially well in interiors built around contrast. Place them on a chrome console, smoked glass shelf, or dark-stained cabinet where the surfaces can echo the black-and-white dialogue. They also sit beautifully in a study, entry, or living room with minimalist furniture, soft wool, and a few strong lines.

Hans Martin Freyer (1909–1975) was a German painter, graphic and industrial designer whose work ranged from architecture and stage design to textiles and product design. Best known to the wider public as the creator of the refined Volkswagen VW logo in 1938, he later worked as a freelance designer of patterns, structures and reliefs. From 1964 to 1974 he designed for Rosenthal, developing sculptural relief decorations for glass and porcelain in the studio-line – most famously the Plissée vases, whose pleated, fabric-like white or black bisque surfaces remain icons of mid-century and Op-Art influenced German porcelain design.

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.