Ursula Printz came to Sweden from Germany at the age of 17, and In 1939 became a student of Wilhelm Kage at Gustavsberg.
Due to her outstanding skills and knowledge she became director of the painting department at Gustavsberg in 1942 where she stayed until 1951 when she moved to the Royal Copenhagen factory Denmark. While at Royal Copenhagen she also met her future husband Jorgen Mogensen.
In 1953 she moved to her own studio in the town of Holte in Demark, where Jorgen joins her in c1964-5.
From this studio they both continued to work for many years.
Ursula’s work is characterised by the strong use of pattern and brushwork.
Her work from Gustavsberg is usually signed “UP”, “Printz,” “Ursula”, and occassionally simply a painted yellow snake. At Royal Copenhagen for studio pieces used “Ursula P”, often together with the year. In her own workshop she used most often signed her work simply “Ursula”
Ursula Printz Mogensen, Own Studio, Lamp – Photo Lauritz.comUrsula Printz Mogensen – Slab Jar, Own StudioUrsula Printz Mogensen – Slab BottleUrsula Printz Mogensen – Studio SignatureUrsula Printz Mogensen, Gustavsberg Jar via freeformsusa.com
The group of images below of Urusla’s work below Swedens National Museum of Art & Design which has a large collection of her work online HERE
Gustavsberg Bowl, decor Ursula Printz -Swedish National Museum of Art & DesignGustavsberg Jar, decor Ursula Printz -Swedish National Museum of Art & DesignGustavsberg Plate, decor Ursula Printz -Swedish National Museum of Art & DesignGustavsberg Plate, decor Ursula Printz -Swedish National Museum of Art & DesignGustavsberg Pitcher, decor Ursula Printz -Swedish National Museum of Art & Design
Jorgen Mogensen, Danish Potter (1927-2017 Denmark), Mid Century, Modernist Danish Pottery
I believe Jørgen MOGENSEN is one of the 20th Century’s most important Danish potters and sculptors. I love the sculptural qualities of his work and the way he uses glazes to accentuate the textural quality of his pieces. His pieces are all beautifully formed – and nearly always quite heavy and sculptural.
Mogensen trained at the Art Craftsman School in Copenhagen, and then studied for a period in Paris. He started his professional career as a potters apprentice with Royal Copenhagen in 1949. He worked with iconic figures such as Knud Khyn, Axel Salto, Gerd Bogelund and Nils Thorsson in their “stoneware cellar” where this group worked at Royal Copenhagen.
His first work for Royal Copenhagen were his 1950s pieces of stylised bird motifs with a mottled brownish stoneware glaze – a similar glaze to which the other stoneware artists were using during this period. He rarely used other glazes or colours – but you can sometimes find a design in blues.
The pieces below are all pieces I have owned by Jorgen Mogensen. The first piece I had was the squared vase form, which I was so drawn to it eventually led me to discover a whole world of Danish Mid-Century pottery which I have been researching, learning and writing about ever since.
I believe Jorgen Mogensens work to be generally under-rated and under-valued compared to the work of his peers at Royal Copenhagen like Axel Salto, Gerd Bogelund etc.
Jorgen Mogensen, Royal Copenhagen, Shallow Bowl FormJorgen Mogensen, Royal Copenhagen, Shallow Bowl FormJorgen Mogensen, Bird Vase Form, Royal CopenhagenJorgen Mogensen, Small Dish, Royal CopenhagenJorgen Mogensen, Large Vase, Royal CopenhagenJorgen Mogensen, Royal Copenhagen, Thrown Bowl Form with Toucan Design – Very Rare
Jorgen said that his figures of animals were influenced by a visit to a Mexican exhibition in Sweden – and it had such influence on him that he developed his own style based on it that was to stay with him for the rest of his career.
In 1965, frustrated with working at Royal Copenhagen – Mogensen started his own studio where he produced highly original pottery and monumental sculpture – most of which was in a “primitive” Nordic style which demonstrated his great skill at combining sculpture and ceramics.
Jorgen Mogensen, Own Studio, Slab FormJorgen Mogensen, Own Studio, Slab FormJorgen Mogensen, Own Studio, Thrown PlatterJorgen Mogensen, Own Studio Bowl
Production ceased in the studio around the late 1980’s. The studio pieces are signed with his easily recognisable signature and usually “Denmark” stamped on. They also usually have a letter followed by 3 numbers as identifiers.
Jorgen Mogensen, Own Studio Signature
In 1991 Mogensen retired from Ceramics and painted until 2003. His wife Ursula Prinz Mogensen who also worked at Royal Copenhagen, and then along side Jorgen in his studio is a well known ceramicist in her own right.
Jorgen Mogensen in his studio 2009 – Photo by the archived site Simplymodern.dk who have an interview with Jorgen in his studio.
Visit my C20CERAMICS SHOP on Etsy
Rorstrand "Eden" c1960s
OR If Etsy is unavailable, or you would prefer eBay - follow the link below (click on the image) . Basically the same items are listed, at the same price.
