QUESTIONS FROM OUR WEBSITE
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Dear CAS Collectors:
I can’t get enough of Christmas! And I can’t get enough
of Ceramic Arts! Unfortunately, the two don’t seem to meet up very
often. I have “Santa” and his “Evergreen,” plus most of the Studio “Angels,”
but I’m racking my brain trying to come up with other CAS pieces that will
satisfy my seasonal mania. Any suggestions?
Holly Day
Dear Holly:
You’re in luck! Although not specifically released as a
“Christmas” figurine, the Ceramic Arts Studio Madonna with Child is just
the figurine to add to your collection!
Over the years, one of
the most time-honored, and heartwarming, representations of the holiday season has
been the Madonna and Christ Child. The image was a particular favorite of
artists during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Since no contemporary
illustrations existed, each artist envisioned the pair according to his or her
own imagination, incorporating prevailing artistic trends of the time.
Twentieth-century
artisans were also inspired by the Madonna and Child concept. During the 1940s
and ‘50s, almost every well-known ceramics firm
included a figurine with this theme in its line. For Ceramic Arts Studio, Betty
Harrington actually came up with four Madonna
variations: the pre-1947 Madonna
with Halo; 1950’s Our Lady of Fatima; the circa-1955 Madonna with Bible, and
1953’s Madonna with Child.
In her copy for the
CAS catalog, Betty described the Madonna
with Child as “serenity in
ceramics”, and that it certainly is. The figurine was available in three colorways: solid white, soft pink, and baby blue with
airbrushed highlights.
Known for her attention
to detail, Betty always presented proposed religious designs, such as the Madonna
with Child, to the nuns at a nearby convent, to avoid potentially
embarrassing errors. Only with their seal of approval were the figurines a “go.”
Although beautifully
designed and rendered, many Madonnas remained on store shelves. As Reuben Sand,
founder of CAS later recalled, “we just did not do well with the religious
stuff. Except St. Francis. He was always a good seller.”
Nowadays, however,
collectors are drawn to the CAS Madonnas for their innate, peaceful beauty. So this Christmas, why not make a Madonna with Child the focal point of your table décor,
surrounded by seasonal greenery and flickering votive candles? Betty Harrington
called this figurine “one of my favorites.” We’re confident you will too!
And with that, the drawstrings are pulled tight on this
issue’s “CAS Mailbag.” For answers to your CAS-related questions, just send
them to Donald-Brian Johnson’s attention at: donaldbrian@msn.com. Hopefully, he
may even be able to come up with the correct solutions!