Eva Zeisel

Date of Birth: November 13, 1906

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: December 30, 2011

Biography

Eva Zeisel was a Hungarian-born American industrial designer known for her work with ceramics. Born as Éva Amália Stricker in Budapest, Hungary, she grew up in an intellectual and artistic family. Zeisel’s career began in the 1920s in Hungary, where she initially studied painting but soon found her passion for ceramics. She was one of the first women to become a member of the Hungarian Guild of Chimney Sweeps, Oven Makers, Roof Tilers, Well Diggers, and Potters. In 1932, she moved to Germany to work in the Schramberger Majolikafabrik, and later to the Soviet Union, where she became the artistic director of the China and Glass Industry. However, her career took a dramatic turn in 1936 when she was falsely accused of participating in a plot to assassinate Joseph Stalin, leading to her imprisonment for 16 months. After her release, she moved to Vienna and then to the United States, where she married Hans Zeisel and resumed her career. In the United States, Zeisel became a celebrated designer, known for her modern, sensuous, and functional ceramics. Her most famous works include designs for companies like Castleton China and Hall China. Eva Zeisel continued to work well into her late years, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of industrial design.

5 Interesting Facts about Eva Zeisel

1. Eva Zeisel was imprisoned for 16 months in the Soviet Union under false charges of participating in a plot to assassinate Joseph Stalin.

2. She was the first woman to teach industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York.

3. Zeisel’s designs are part of the permanent collections of major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

4. She received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in 2005.

5. Zeisel continued designing into her 100s, with her last design, the “Eva Zeisel Lounge Chair,” being completed in 2010.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Eva Zeisel

1. “The playful search for beauty.”

2. “I didn’t start out to be a rebel. I just wanted to be an artist.”

3. “Designing is not a profession but an attitude.”

4. “I have led a passionate and interesting life.”

5. “I believe in the power of beauty to change the world.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Eva Zeisel’s highest net worth is not precisely documented, but her enduring influence and the continued sale of her designs suggest she was successful in her field. Her designs are considered highly valuable in the art and design communities.

Children

Eva Zeisel had two children, a son named John Zeisel, who is a specialist in Alzheimer’s disease care, and a daughter named Jean Richards, who is an actress and writer.