Umano

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 and produced by Poltronova.
The choice of the name Yantra emphasizes Sottsass’s interest in non-Western cultures and their symbolic meanings. Yantra, in the Indian religious context, are mystical diagrams used for meditation and contemplation, each associated with a specific power or ritual.
Sottsass transforms these concepts into design objects, giving them both aesthetic and symbolic value.

This is model Y32, in its black version. The model number is indicated under the base, along with the designer’s signature.