The NGV has recently acquired an exceptionally rare and significant vase produced circa 1902 by Frank Lloyd Wright. The vase was designed as part of the interior furnishings for the Susan Lawrence Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, with the original example remaining in the house today. The example in the NGV Collection is representative of a small edition of these vases produced and retailed by the Gates pottery.
The Gates pottery was established in the 1870s by William Gates, and primarily produced terracotta tiles and architectural elements. The venture became extremely successful with the rise in popularity of terracotta as cladding on early cast-iron skyscrapers. The partnership between Gates and Wright was established after 1899, when Gates began to produce a number of ornamental vases that he named ‘Teco ware’. This name was derived from the pottery’s place of production in the town of Terra Cotta, Illinois. The signature feature of the Teco range was the green glaze, which quickly became known as ‘Teco green’. Varying in shades, the green glaze was imitative of the discolouration that occurs on bronze when exposed to the weather. The colour and matt glaze were also considered by Gates to be far less harsh than a shiny surface that reflects light, resulting in a kind of visual neutrality. In this way, Gates’s Teco vases are sympathetic to placement in a home, as there is no need to consider the disruptive nature of light refracting off the matt surface.
While only a small number of vases were commercially produced, the vase itself is large in scale, making it bespoke in nature and almost architectural in design. At over 60 centimetres tall, the vase has a commanding presence, while its form recalls the base of a column or pillar. The octagonal opening morphs into a heavy square base, grounding the vase. The original example that remains in the Dana House sits directly on the floor. Whether or not this was the intended placement by Wright is unknown, but the substantial base and considerable scale make this a possibility. The vertical chevron ornament that can be seen around the vase continues the motif of the sumac plant, which Wright employed throughout the Dana House. Building on Wright’s idea of creating a uniquely American design language, the American landscape is not only reflected in the design of the house itself, but also extends to the interior. Wright utilised geometric, organic forms inspired by native prairie plants on furnishings, windows and on the exterior of the house. This repetition came to inform many of Wright’s designs in the Prairie style, and the Susan Lawrence Dana House was one of the largest and most complex. It remains the most intact example of Wright’s Prairie architectural designs.
Imogen Mallia-Valjan is Curatorial Project Officer, International Decorative Arts and Design at the National Gallery of Victoria.