Susan Parkinson Triangular Dish

A biomorphic dish with an abstract, loosely painted decoration, designed by Susan Parkinson and made at her pottery in Brabourne Lees, Kent, circa 1955.

The shallow dish takes the form of a softened, curved triangle; its rounded edges creating a distinctly Modernist profile. Both sculptural and practical, the form is particularly evocative of 1950s design.

The painted decoration, like the form itself, beautifully captures the spirit of post-war British design, shaped by the optimism and visual language of the 1951 Festival of Britain.

Across the surface, finely painted lines are interspersed with spontaneous dots, splashes and marks, creating a lively and entirely abstract composition. The freedom of Parkinson's brushwork provides a graphic and playful companion to the subtle form of the dish.

Interestingly, this example was retailed in the American market by Saks Fifth Avenue, whose faded stamp remains visible on the reverse.