Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) is one of the most important figures in 20th-century Italian design. Architect, designer, artist, and thinker of form, he profoundly influenced the history of design with a free, expressive, and deeply emotional approach to objects.
Known as one of the founders of the Memphis movement, Sottsass always rejected the idea of strictly functional design. Through his creations of furniture, lighting, ceramics, glassware, and decorative objects, he explored color, geometry, material, and symbolism. His works are distinguished by strong forms, a sculptural presence, and an almost ritual dimension, where each object seems to carry its own energy.
His collaboration with Baccarat in 2002 perfectly illustrates this vision. The Ninurta vase, made of crystal, belongs to a collection of ten limited-edition pieces whose names evoke Mesopotamian deities. Through this creation, Sottsass transforms crystal into true luminous architecture. The massive volumes, intense colors, and plays of transparency give the work a presence that is at once contemporary, sacred, and poetic.
With Ninurta, the vase transcends its decorative function to become a totem-object: a collector's piece where light reflects, refracts, and multiplies, revealing the full expressive power of Baccarat crystal.