In his unique works Franz Josef Altenburg realised in clay the process of reduction and simplification that he had been pursuing systematically throughout his career. Combining the texture of the material with the order of his creations, the result is major series ranging from his Houses, Stairs, Pedestals, and Backdrops to his Blocks, Towers, Scaffolds, Containers, and Frames. With his expert mastery of handling and design techniques evident throughout the six decades of his oeuvre, Altenburg elevated ceramics into the realm of fine art.


This book documents and analyses the artist, his work, and the site of his creativity in texts by art experts and a writer and offers for the very first time a comprehensive overview of his works, as well as an extensive illustrated biography with a list of exhibitions.


Text in English and German.