Forms of Nature

Jugendstil ceramic works by Henry van de Velde

Flowers, shells and insects had always been a source of inspiration to the Belgian art reformer Henry van de Velde. Many of his works derive from natural forms and impressions. In Henry van de Velde’s vases, for example, one can recognise jellyfish or octopi, while his vegetable ornamentation is reminiscent of abstract blossoms. The exhibition of twenty privately owned ceramic works by Henry van de Velde highlights his occupation with natural forms and underscores the influence that the Jena naturalist Ernst Haeckel had on new designs of the Jugendstil period.

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