Jan Schonk - Ivora Gouda - Rare glazed earthenware sculpture of a chameleon

Very beautiful sculpture of a chameleon manufactured at Ivora Gouda by Jan Schonk.
The sculpture has a very beautiful orange glaze and is flawless.
Height 14.5 cm.


Place of birth / date Schiedam 1889-06-11
Death/date Soest 1976-11-12

Jan Schonk took classes at the Academie voor Beeldende Kunst and Technische Wetenschappen in Rotterdam.

First working as a free artist, from 1925 to 1930 he was a freelance designer at Plateelbakkerij Zuid Holland. From 1926 to 1930 he designed consumer pottery, vases and pots, (animal) plastics and relief tiles for Zuid-Holland. He then designed some animal plastics for Ivora. Then only worked as a graphic designer.

After 1931, Schonk devoted himself entirely to graphic art, which is particularly striking for its urge to compose masses, surfaces, lines and shapes into rhythmic chords. With his woodcuts, lithographs, and etchings Schonk is one of the most important graphic artists of the 20th century.