vase

This bottle-shaped, enameled vase by Bohumil Eliáš (1937–2005), dated 1963 is a significant example of Czech abstract painting in glass. Eliáš was part of the innovative, postwar generation of Czech artists who experimented with abstraction in glass and forged new relationships between design and contemporary art. Eliáš’ design relates to contemporary Taschist painting (the European cousin of Abstract-Expressionism). While important in itself, the abstract vase also matches a drawing found in the Museum’s unique collection of original Czech design drawings acquired in 2001 from the Steinberg Foundation in Liechtenstein.