Royal Dux Art Deco Pottery

Art Nouveau Foundation (Pre-Deco)

Royal Dux established its international reputation by quickly embracing the Art Nouveau (or Jugendstil) style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This period, characterized by organic forms, flowing lines, and nature-inspired themes, set a high standard for their sculptural work. Pieces from this era often featured graceful female figures with long, curving lines, dressed in elaborate drapery, and frequently incorporating natural elements like shells or flowers.

The Art Deco Output (1920s–1930s)

The transition from the flowing curves of Art Nouveau to the geometric rigor of Art Deco was smooth for Royal Dux. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the factory maintained its focus on high-quality sculptural porcelain and earthenware, adapting its style to the new movement's taste for modernity, symmetry, and stylization.

Key Art Deco Contributions:

• Figurines: Royal Dux produced a wide range of porcelain figures and figurines that embodied the Art Deco aesthetic. These pieces often depicted:

• Modern Women: Sleek, fashionable women, often stylized with geometric hairstyles or simplified, columnar dresses, capturing the flapper or garçonne look of the time.

• Dancers: Dynamic figures in expressive poses, reflecting the era's fascination with modern dance and theatre, a hallmark of Art Deco ceramics across Europe.

• Wall Masks: Highly collectible in the period, Royal Dux created decorative wall masks in both porcelain and earthenware. These masks featured heavily stylized female faces with bold makeup and sharp, geometric features, perfectly aligning with the popular Art Deco fascination with exoticism and theatrical glamour.

• Animal Fancies: Stylized animal figures, such as polar bears, panthers, and hounds, were produced with simplified forms and clean lines, emphasizing the animal's essential form rather than detailed realism.

• Materials and Finish: Pieces were typically made from fine porcelain or a smooth, high-quality earthenware. The coloring adapted to Art Deco tastes, utilizing pastel glazes, bright enamels, and sometimes metallic finishes to emphasize the pieces' bold designs.

The quality and style of Royal Dux's output during the Art Deco era ensured its continuing success in the international market, appealing to collectors seeking both decorative and artistic objects.