Roland Blaettler, Andreas Heege 2022
Pottery made by Berta Tappolet in CERAMICA CH
“Before the outbreak of the Second World War, a new arts and crafts aesthetic – and with it, a reform of ceramic decoration – was developing; in Switzerland, this movement was led and influenced mainly by women. Its leading figures were Berta Tappolet (1897–1947), Martha Amata Good (1896–1950) and Luise Meyer-Strasser (1894–1974). From the 1920s to the 1940s, the three women created unique decorative designs for the Bodmer ceramics factory in Zurich and for Fritz Haussmann’s company in Uster.” (Messerli 2009, 69).
Berta Tappolet (1897–1947), the daughter of a clergyman from Zurich, and her friend Luise Strasser (1894-1974), served their apprenticeships as draughtswomen at the embroidery studio of Bertha Baer (born in 1872, date of death unknown), after which they both went on to study decorative painting at the School of Applied Arts in Munich from 1914 to 1917. After their return to Zurich in 1918, they opened a studio together, initially at 11 Neumarkt. From 1926-1935 they moved their “Arts and Crafts Workshop” to Jupitersteig near what was known then as the “Klus”. In 1917, they joined L’Œuvre, the French-speaking Swiss branch of the Schweizerischer Werkbund, leaving again in 1942 (L’Œuvre 1942).
Besides painting and expressive drawing, Berta Tappolet illustrated books and designed décors for the textile, interior architecture and pottery industries (for the Langenthal porcelain factory and others).
Between 1925 and 1931, Berta Tappolet (and Martha Amata Good and Luise Meyer-Strasser ) also created a series of faience décors for the Pottery Factory Carl Bodmer & Cie in Zurich (Bodmer-Huber and Messerli-Bolliger 1986, 32-33, pl. 32-37).
For more information on the early pottery decorations designed by Tappolet and Strasser, particularly on porcelain, see Meyer 1924; Die Frau in der Schweiz. Illustriertes Jahrbuch für Frauen-Bestrebungen, 1934, Heft 6, 58; L’Œuvre 7, 1920, Fig. p. 239. Other examples of ceramics that were painted by Tappolet and/or Strasser can be found in L’Œuvre 11, 1924; L’Œuvre 19, 1932, Fig. pp. 11–15; L’Œuvre 22, 1935, Fig. pp 410–411; L’Œuvre 27, 1940, 315; L’Œuvre 29, 1942, 300.
In her ceramic work, Tappolet collaborated with Fritz and Helene Haussmann from Uster mainly from 1936 onwards (MHL AA.MI.1760; MHL AA.MI.1761, L’Œuvre 23/10, 1936, p. XXIII). These works were signed with the initials “T” or “BT” and with the mark of the “Cornelius” collective.
In 1937, Berta Tappolet, Cornelia Forster (1906–1990), Luise Strasser, Martha Amata Good (1986-1950) and the ceramicists Fritz and Helene Haussmann opened a shop together called “Cornelius” at 3 Oberdorfstrasse in Zurich. It became an important retail outlet for Tappolet’s ceramics, which were thrown, decorated and fired at the workshop of the Haussmanns in Uster (L’Œuvre 24, 1937, Fig. p. XVI and pp. 357, 360–361, 363).
Berta Tappolet was also a member and sometimes president of the Gesellschaft der schweizerischen Malerinnen und Bildhauerinnen (Swiss Association of Female Painters and Sculptors) and a member of the Eidgenössische Kommission für angewandte Kunst (Federal Commission of Applied Arts).
In 1948 the Museum of Decorative Arts in Zurich staged a memorial exhibition (Das Werk 1948).
Obituary in KFS, Obituary in Das Werk (see also Tappolet 1947)
For ceramics designed by Berta Tappolet see:
Zurich University of the Arts, Museum of Decorative Arts
Ceramics in the collection of the Swiss National Museum
Bibliographie:
Bodmer-Huber et Messerli-Bolliger 1986
Ernst Bodmer-Huber et Barbara E. Messerli-Bolliger, Die Tonwarenfabrik Bodmer in Zürich-Wiedikon. Geschichte, Produktion, Firmeninhaber, Entwerfer. Keramik-Freunde der Schweiz, Mitteilungsblatt 101, 3-60.
L’Œuvre 1947
Berta Tappolet [Nécrologie]. L’Œuvre 34, 1947, 122.
Messerli 2017
Christoph Messerli, 100 Jahre Berner Keramik. Von der Tuner Majolika bis zum künstlerischen Werk von Margrit Linck-Daepp (1987-1983). Hochschulschrift (Datenträger CD-ROM), Bern 2017.
Meyer 1924
Peter Meyer, Bemaltes Porzellan von Bertha Tappolet und Louise Strasser. L’Œuvre 11, 188-193.
Tappolet 1947
Friedrich Tappolet: In memoriam Berta Tappolet : 1897 – 1947. Winterthur-Töss 1947.
