MATARAM

Object NameWall Panel

Artist Ursula Huth (German, b. 1952)

Made FromGlass, lead, lead foil

Date1994

Place MadeGermany

TechniqueCut, acid-etched, sandblasted, stained, enameled

SizeOverall H: 60.4 cm, W: 73.8 cm

Accession Number94.3.152

Credit Line9th Rakow Commission, purchased with funds from the Juliette K. and Leonard S. Rakow Endowment Fund

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Not On View

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Ursula Huth is an influential teacher and an innovative stained glass-maker and painter. This two-part piece is unusual for Huth in that it pairs a panel with a three-dimensional sculpture. Huth's interest in abstraction is fairly unusual in stained glass, and this interest is shared by other influential German artists working in the medium, as well as by American artists such as Robert Kehlmann. In exploring non-traditional approaches and subject matter, Huth treats contemporary stained glass as if it were painting. The abstract landscape and figures, one of which is in a furnace-worked glass boat, are mysterious and they refer to the exotic Indonesian landscape of "Mataram," a region in central Java.

Physical DescriptionColorless, transparent deep blue, amber, red, green, opaque white, metallic dark gray non-lead glass, enamels, stain, lead came, foil; panel: cut, acid-etched, sandblasted, stained, enameled, engraved, leaded, copper-foiled, overlaid with cut lead foil. Horizontal rectangular panel with wide border surrounding central rectangle of blue glass painted, sandblasted and acid-etched with kneeling figure in silhouette, head is bowed and topped with a conical hat, arm and hand pointing down; figure overlays second hatted figure that seems to be rising up from the torso of the larger figure, thin slightly curved line defines background horizon, panel has sandblasted and etched patches on both sides producing matte surface, both sides have been partly brushed with flat black enamel obscuring figures to varying degrees, a curving line of lead cuts downward through the figure almost dividing the rectangle in half, lead curves to left side towards the base and encloses a small blue triangular section of striated glass and a corner section etched and painted with a boat in upside down position; wide border of leaded sections of flashed glass has been etched, sandblasted and stained, on front side of panel the entire border is overlaid with lead foil delicately cut and pierced in a variety of shapes to reveal the glass underneath; symbols in border from upper right corner continuing clock-wise: fish, three vertical paddles/spears, two small horizontal boats, two diagonal paddles/spears, plunging angel with arm reaching out to zigzag snake, larger zigzags, reclining angel, upside down stepped bottle/building with animal and figural details, three teepees, S-curved snake with diamond pattern details, vertical rows of stylized oriental calligraphy, two linear figures wearing conical hats, castle with serrated roof line, narrow broken red and blue diagonal stripes, boat with small pyramid; perimeter of panel is surrounded by border of lead came.
Provenance

Source Ursula Huth (German, b. 1952) - 1994