Zurich, Uster, Atelier Alsiko (Fritz and Hélène Haussmann), painted by Berta Tappolet for their shop named Cornelius. Mark: T / CORNELIUS (not long after 1937, cf. Das Werk 24, 1937, Issue 12, XIV, 353-363).
Roland Blaettler und Andreas Heege, 2026
“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 pottery factory in Zurich and for Fritz Haussmann’s company in Uster.” (Messerli 2009, 69).
Berta Tappolet (1897–1947) was the daughter of a clergyman from Zurich. She served her apprenticeship as an embroidery draughtswoman at the studio of Bertha Baer in Zurich, after which she, together with her friend, Luise Meyer-Strasser (1894–1974), continued her training at the School of Applied Arts in Munich from 1914 to 1917.
After their return to Zurich, they opened a studio together, initially on Neumarkt, and later on Jupitersteig. Like Amata Good, they joined the SWB (Schweizerischer Werkbund), leaving again in 1942, for unknown reasons. 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) (Das Werk 34, 1947, 122). Besides painting and expressive drawing, she illustrated books and designed décors for the textile, interior architecture and pottery industries.
1918 Pottery by Berta Tappolet was exhibited as part of “Raumkunst”, a decorative arts exhibition staged by the Schweizerischer Werkbund in Zurich.
1924 Berta Tappolet and Luise Strasser exhibited some of their works at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich.
In the painting shop of the Carl Bodmer & Cie Pottery Factory in Zurich, around 1925/26. On the left Berta Tappolet, in the middle possibly Luise Meyer-Strasser. As Martha Amata Good also supplied the company with designs in 1926, she could be the third paintress on the right (the original is in box 75 at StAZH VII-174).
Between 1925 and 1931, Berta Tappolet created a series of decorative faience designs for the Carl Bodmer & Cie Pottery Factory in Zurich (Bodmer-Huber and Messerli-Bolliger 1986, 32-33, Pl. 32-37), which she appears to have produced at the workshop on site.
The designs themselves can mainly be found in the company’s pricelists. Original ceramics are extremely rare (the originals can be found in box 47 at StAZH VII-174).
This photograph of Berta from around 1925 was turned into a postcard by the company and sent to clients as a gift (the original is in box 45 at StAZH VII-174).
1927 Catalogue of the exhibition “Exposition de Céramique Suisse” in Geneva (original in box 38 at StAZH VII-174).
1927 The work Berta Tappolet created for Carl Bodmer was displayed at the “Exposition de Céramique Suisse”, where she and Luise Meyer-Strasser also exhibited some of their own creations from the studio they shared.
In 1929 there was a sales exhibition of works by the two ceramicists at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich (original document: Museum of Design Zurich, archive number GBA-1929-D08-001).
In 1930 there was a sales exhibition of works by the two ceramicists at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich (original document: Museum of Design Zurich, archive number GAD-1930-N08).
In 1930 Berta Tappolet took part in the arts and crafts exhibition curated by the Swiss Society of Female Painters, Sculptors and Craftswomen at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich.
1936 Exhibition “Swiss Architecture and Artworks 1920-1936” at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich. A special exhibition entitled “Painted Ceramics” included a working group of some members of the Schweizerischer Werkbund, including Berta Tappolet, Luise Meyer- Strasser, Amata Good and Claire Guyer, who had their works thrown and fired by Fritz Haussmann in Uster, another member of the SWB. Other participants in the exhibition were Margrit Linck-Daepp, Gertrud Meister-Zingg, Margit Lutz from Winterthur and Cornelia Fischer-Forster (Das Werk 23, 1936, XXIII). “Several plates by Luise Meyer-Strasser and a light-coloured service decorated with polychrome floral designs by B. Tappolet” received special mention (Thurgauer Zeitung, 18th September 1936).
On the early pottery decorations by Tappolet and Strasser, particularly on porcelain, see Meyer 1924: L’Œuvre 11, 1924, 188–192; Die Frau in der Schweiz. Illustriertes Jahrbuch für Frauen-Bestrebungen, 1934, Issue 6, 58; L’Œuvre 7, 1920, Fig. p. 239. Other examples of ceramics painted by Tappolet and/or Strasser can be found in 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.
When it came to her pottery designs, Tappolet collaborated with the Haussmanns in Uster (MHL AA.MI.1760; MHL AA.MI.1761), especially from 1936 onwards (L’Œuvre 23/10, 1936, p. XXIII). These works were marked with the initials “T” or “BT”, and from 1937, also with the word “CORNELIUS”.
Das Werk 24, 1937, XVI.
In 1937, Berta Tappolet, Cornelia Forster (1906–1990), Luise Meyer-Strasser (1894–1974), Martha Amata Good (1896–1950), and the ceramicists Fritz and Helene Haussmann opened a shop together called “Cornelius” at 3 Oberdorfstrasse in Zurich specifically selling the ceramics they designed, 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; see also Tages-Anzeiger, 10th March 1937; NZZ 11th March 1937).
1938 The Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich exhibited “New Arts and Crafts from Zurich”. The exhibitors included Amata Good, Berta Tappolet and Luise Meyer-Strasser (NZZ, 30th July 1938; favourable review in the Thurgauer Zeitung 19th August 1938).
Plate by the company Haussmann in Uster, decorated by Berta Tappolet (paintress’ mark “T”). Private ownership in Switzerland.
1938, December Exhibition of art pottery at Cornelius (NZZ 15th December 1938).
1939 Christmas exhibition of the Zurich section of the Schweizerischer Werkbund SWB at the Museum of Applied Arts in Zurich. The SWB members Berta Tappolet, Luise Meyer-Strasser, Amata Good and Cornelia Forster exhibited their ceramics alongside Gertrud Meister-Zingg, Margrit Linck-Daepp as well as Fritz and Helene Haussmann (NZZ 25th November 1939).
1939 Berta Tappolet and Luise Meyer-Strasser decorated the Women’s pavilion at the National Exhibition in Zurich.
1940/41 Together with Berta Tappolet, Luise Meyer-Strasser and Cornelia Forster, Amata Good decorated the walls and ceilings of the newly renovated Haus zur Münz (an alcohol-free restaurant; see also Die Tat, 28th June 1941), 3 Münzplatz, Zurich. In the 1960s, the house was destroyed by fire and demolished. A Julius Baer banking group office building now stands on the site.
1944 Exhibition at the Kunsthaus art museum in Zurich with Berta Tappolet, Luise Meyer-Strasser, Cornelia Forster, Lea Fenner and Clara Vogelsang (Thurgauer Zeitung, Vol. 146, No. 187, 11th August 1944 Edition 02).
There are no more informations on Berta Tappolet between 1944 and 1947.
Pottery by Berta Tappolet:
Pottery by Berta Tappolet at the Museum of Design in Zurich
Zurich University of the Arts Archive
The Swiss National Museum in Zurich also has in its collection three objects by Berta Tappolet: SNM LM-65034, LM-73661, LM-149617).
Obituaries:
L’Œuvre 1947
Berta Tappolet. L’Œuvre 34, 1947, 122.
Tappolet 1947
Friedrich Tappolet: In memoriam Berta Tappolet: 1897 – 1947. Winterthur-Töss 1947.
Translation Sandy Haemmerle
References:
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.
Messerli 2009
Christoph Messerli, Von der Souvenir- zur Studiokeramik. Die Berner Keramik im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Lizentiatsarbeit, Institut für Kunstgeschichte des Universität Bern (Bern 2009).
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.
