Gertrud Natzler

Gertrud Amon Natzler (7 July 1908 – 3 June 1971) was an Austrian-American ceramicist, who together with her husband Otto Natzler created some of the most praised ceramics art of the 20th century, helping to elevate ceramics to the status of a fine art.

Early life Gertrud Amon was born on 7 July 1908 in Vienna, Austria, to a Jewish family. She was the daughter of Adolf Amon, who ran a stationery company, and Helene née Grünwald. She had one older brother, Hans.

After graduating from the Handelsakademie, Vienna's commercial school, she studied painting and drawing as well as working as a secretary. In 1933 met Otto Natzler, who had been laid off from a job as a textile designer, although their romance did not blossom until after he divorced his first wife in 1934.

Career Gertrud started to have an interest in pottery, and got Otto interested as well. After teaching themselves and studying at the ceramics studio of Franz Iskra, they opened their own studio and worked full-time as ceramicists. Otto and Gertrud soon became recognised for their art. Their first exhibition was in 1937, at the Galerie Würthle. Their first full exhibition was in San Diego the following year, and it was followed by many more over the three decades thereafter. Gertrud was remarkable from their Vienna days for throwing thin-walled vessels. Over her career, she threw more than 25,000 vessels.

In Natzler's words:It must of necessity start out with the centering of the clay. This takes strength and an iron grip. The further the form develops, the more delicate the touch must become until in the end there is simply a describing of the curve, a movement of hands - with the yielding clay in between - that determines the final line. In the end, it will be like a form grown by nature, something alive, as indeed it is, having become infused with the life the sensitive hand has lent it. the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles (1977), and the American Craft Museum in New York (1993). the Seattle Art Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Art, the Cooper Hewitt, and the Museum of Modern Art.

In 2001, Gertrud was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship of the American Craft Council together with her husband. that lasted nearly until his death in 2007.

The Natzler's pieces Vase, 1965 and Bowl, 1968 were acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the Renwick Gallery's 50th Anniversary Campaign.