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Born and trained as a potter in Finland, Grotell came to the United States in 1927, settling in New York. Her position as head of the ceramics department at the prestigious Cranbrook Academy – where she was originally rejected as a candidate due to her gender – allowed Grotell the freedom to experiment with materials and techniques for nearly three decades.
Vase
Maija Grotell (American, born in Finland, 1899–1973)
about 1942
Object Place: Bloomfield Hills, MI, Michigan
Medium/Technique
Unglazed blue stoneware with painted platinum luster glaze and glossy-glazed interior
Dimensions
Overall: 38.1 x 39.4 cm (15 x 15 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Philip Aarons and Shelley Fox Aarons in honor of Jules and Jeanette Aarons
Accession Number2012.1106
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAmericas
ClassificationsCeramics
Born and trained as a potter in Finland, Grotell came to the United States in 1927, settling in New York. Her position as head of the ceramics department at the prestigious Cranbrook Academy – where she was originally rejected as a candidate due to her gender – allowed Grotell the freedom to experiment with materials and techniques for nearly three decades.
DescriptionMassive round vessel with dark blue matte body with three rows of check marks in metallic silver. Lip also metallic silver.
Signed
Incised initials "MG" and Cranbrook stamp "CA" inside foot ring
Marks
Capital letter A inscribed inside captial letter C.
Stamp of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Stamp of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
ProvenanceDecember 26, 1995, sold by Gansevoort Gallery, New York (Mark McDonald), to Philip E. Aarons, New York; 2012, year-end gift of Aarons to the MFA. (Accession date: Februrary 27, 2013)