Ceramic bowl - Ictus

On this ceramic bowl, wheel-thrown and hand-painted in Sifnos in the Cyclades, unfolds the motif of the ictus—or ichthys, meaning “fish” in Greek. Inherited from ancient Mediterranean symbolism, this sign is reinterpreted here in a traditional blue-and-white decoration, dear to Nikos and his family. Painted freehand, without preliminary sketching, each fish appears to swim freely across the glaze. No two pieces are ever quite the same, as if the sea, the wind, and the light had left their mark on the ceramic. Simply letting your gaze rest inside the bowl feels like diving straight into the Mediterranean.

Here, tradition dates back to Antiquity. Pottery made on this small Cycladic island long traveled by boat, delivered from village to village all the way to Athens. In the workshop located in the north of the island, with no precise address—you arrive by following directions from the neighbors—pottery has been a family affair for over a century. In summer, production intensifies to supply holiday tables and loyal clients; the rest of the year, Nikos takes the time to create pieces for the elegant neighborhoods of Athens and for La Maison de Commerce in Paris.

The style of this tableware rests on gentle contrasts: a fine balance between perfection and irregularity, simple drawings, confident forms, and luminous colors. Timeless, not to say eternal, this bowl tells in its own way the story of the sea, the sun, and the gentle wildness that defines the island.

Note: Entirely hand-painted, each decoration is unique. Shades may vary—lighter or darker, softer or more defined—and the fish always swim in a slightly different movement, carried by the waves… or by the imagination of the artisan.