Ceramic Bowl - Surrealist Birds

These ceramic bowls, hand-thrown and hand-painted in Sifnos, in the Cyclades, feature birds that we have come to call “surrealist.” Powerful figures steeped in symbolism in ancient Greece, these birds take on free and expressive forms here, appearing in various colors and species. Painted freehand, they appear to be in motion, almost animated, as if the sea, the wind, and the light had left their mark on the ceramic. Each bowl is unique and invites the eye to wander, evoking that familiar sensation of holding a fragment of the Mediterranean in your hands.

Here, the tradition dates back to antiquity. Pottery made on this small Cycladic island has long been transported by boat, delivered from village to village all the way to Athens. In the workshop located in the north of the island—which has no specific address; you find it by following directions from neighbors—pottery has been a family business for over a century. In the summer, production ramps up to meet the demand from vacationers and regular customers; the rest of the year, Nikos takes the time to create pieces for Athens’s upscale neighborhoods and for La Maison de Commerce Paris.

The style of this tableware is defined by subtle contrasts: a perfect balance between perfection and imperfection, designs that are both naive and precise, clean lines, and vibrant colors. Timeless—if not eternal—these bowls evoke, in their own way, the sun, the sea, and that sense of reverie and freedom that characterizes the island.

Note: Each plate is entirely hand-painted and therefore one-of-a-kind. The designs may vary—lighter or darker, more subtle or more pronounced—depending on the artisan’s imagination. To find out which patterns and colors are available, please contact us at info@lamaisondecommerce.com or at 01 43 21 04 64.