Colorado & Regional Art

Artus Van Briggle was born in Ohio on March 21, 1869. His artistic training began in 1886 at the Academy of Art, Cincinnati. Van Briggle began working at the Avon Pottery the same year and went on to become a decorator at Rookwood Pottery in 1887. Furthering his artistic training, Van Briggle studied painting in Paris at the Academie Julian under the sponsorship of Rookwood Pottery from 1894 to1896. He also studied clay modeling at the Beaux Arts Academie, Institute of France. He brought the Art Nouveau style that he learned overseas back to Rookwood Pottery from 1896 to1899, experimenting with matte glazes and developing his own dull glaze by 1898. Forced to leave Cincinnati due to health concerns, Van Briggle moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1899. He lived at the Chico Basin Ranch, approximately 35 miles southeast of the Springs. In the fall of 1899, Van Briggle met Professor William H. Strieby, a veteran scientist at Colorado College, with whom Van Briggle experimented more with glazing and firing using Colorado clay. Van Briggle opened his own studio in 1901, where he exhibited the first 300 pieces fired to his satisfaction. The Van Briggle Pottery Company was formed in 1902. His pottery was very popular throughout Europe and the United States, and began to sell rapidly as soon as it was fired. Artus Van Briggle died of tuberculosis in 1904 and his wife Anne continued to run the pottery until 1912. The Van Briggle company produced art pottery until they closed in 2012.