Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Date Range This Mark Used
1975
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP

Plate

USA, 1975
American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA)
Date acquired:
Materials: N/A
Form - Functional: N/A
Form - Sculptural: N/A
Method:
Hand-Built
Surface Technique: N/A
Kiln Type: N/A
Glazes: N/A
Sylvia Hyman | 1917 – Present

Sylvia Hyman is known for hyper-realistic, trompe l?oeil, porcelain hand built sculptures. Hyman uses everyday objects as her subjects?books, notepads, keys, purses, etc. Assembled into narrative compositions, these objects were decorated, finished and combined to form a still life.

Hyman used tools as needed. Among these were molds and an electric slab roller. The slab roller allowed her to create trompe l?oeil paper with its thickness precisely made to the scale of the finished sculpture. The techniques used to create realistic surface details of each component were achieved by combining or inventing multiple techniques as needed. Among these were screen printing images or text and the applications of slips or glazes. Hyman innovated approaches to convincingly create wooden crates, brown paper bags, rolled up blue prints, nails, screws, etc. These are just some of the objects combined by Hyman to create a sculpture and engage the viewer in the discovery of its unexpected content.

Hyman was an art teacher in the New York Public School System and the Peabody College for Teachers.

American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA)

Other works by Hyman

Hyman in other collections

TMP collaborates with the finest public and private collections of modern and contemporary American ceramics in the United States. Browse collections to learn about artists and their works. Reach out to us to become a collection partner.

 

Note:

These records have been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced.

Last updated: April 22, 2026

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