Gio Ponti for Neoponti Quadripod Vase, 1997 Re-Edition

A commanding vase distilling Gio Ponti’s fascination with antiquity into an object of rare poise. First conceived in the 1940s and re-issued in 1997 under the Neoponti collection by Costantino, the form is profoundly indebted to the vessels of the Etruscans — particularly their bucchero nero wares, prized for deep black surfaces achieved through reduction firing. Ponti abstracts these ancient references with a modernist sensibility: the body is bulbous yet rigorously controlled, the mouth tight, the profile austerely elegant.

What defines this version are its four slender legs. They lift the vessel decisively from the surface it rests upon, creating a dynamic and precarious balance between solid weight and graceful elevation. These legs are not applied decoration; they are integral to the form, a structural device that fundamentally alters the vase’s relationship to its space, giving it a sense of poised animation. The glaze is a uniform, light-absorbing black, yet under scrutiny, light reveals subtle variations: matte valleys and glossy ridges. True to Etruscan principles, there is no applied ornament — the authority of the form itself is the decoration. In its profound restraint, the vase achieves what Ponti always sought: a perfect bridge between utility and art, allowing a vessel to command presence as pure sculpture.

Designer: Gio Ponti

Collection: Neoponti (1997 Re-Edition by Costantino)

Dimensions: 25,5 X 13,5 X 13,5 cm

Height: 25,5 cm | Width: 13,5 cm | Depth: 13,5 cm

Weight: 0,8 Kg

Style: Mid-Century Modern, Italian Modernism

Inspiration: Etruscan Bucchero Ware

Material: Ceramic

Finish: Jet Black Reduction-Fired Glaze

Made in Italy

Condition note: This piece was professionally repaired by the manufacturer on one side and on one foot. The restoration is subtle and visible upon close inspection. Please refer to images.