Vase
ca. 1904 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This vase could be one of the last designs made during Gallé's lifetime and under his supervision. It incorporates two of his favourite images - the sun, symbolising day, banishing the bat, which symbolises night. The bat also evoked, in Gallé's words,'... the darkness of a night in the forest...the rustle, the whispering and mysterious activity of things which are unseen, but which watch, and go about their business in secret' .
The applied coloured glass decorations that imitate rich jewelling are called cabochons. They were not included on the simpler versions of the design that were produced in the early years after Gallé died in 1904. These versions have the Gallé mark, together with a star. This combined mark was used on pieces made after his death.
The applied coloured glass decorations that imitate rich jewelling are called cabochons. They were not included on the simpler versions of the design that were produced in the early years after Gallé died in 1904. These versions have the Gallé mark, together with a star. This combined mark was used on pieces made after his death.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Cased, wheel-cut and acid-etched glass, with applied 'cabochons' over silver foil |
Brief description | Vase of glass, designed by Emile Gallé for Gallé glassworks, Nancy, Lorraine, probably 1904 |
Physical description | This vase incorporates two of the "symbolist"images particularly favoured by Galle - the sun representing day banishing the bat which represents night as well as sightlessness balanced by an uncanny knowledge, repulsion balanced by magical qualities. The vase is also decorated with "cabochons"- applied raised glass, coloured with metallic oxides, over silver foil in imitation of rich jewelling as well as carved borders at the foot and rim in "oriental, Persian"style. Incised with "Galle" |
Dimensions |
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Styles | |
Marks and inscriptions | 'Gallé' incised (Makers's mark) |
Gallery label | There is a closely similar example to this vase in the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris, given by the Gallé family. It is said to be one of the last designs by Gallé, made during his lifetime under his 'supervision'. Simpler versions were produced in the first years after his death, without the cabochons, on which the signature is accompanied by a star. This vase incorporates two of the 'symbolist' images particularly favoured by Gallé - the sun representing day banishing the bat which represents night as well as sightlessness balanced by an uncanny knowledge, repulsion balanced by magical qualities. Seen here, against a forest skyline there are further implications. Gallé wrote '...the darkness of a night in the forest, the vague distress which takes unawares the walker who finds himself in the evening at the edge of the woods. There, strange lights hover in the darkness, the rustle, the whispering and mysterious activity of things which are unseen, but which watch, and go about their business in secret'. The vase is also decorated with 'cabochons' - applied raised glass, coloured with metallic oxides, over silver foil in imitation of rich jewelling as well as carved borders at the foot and rim in 'oriental, Persian' style. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This vase could be one of the last designs made during Gallé's lifetime and under his supervision. It incorporates two of his favourite images - the sun, symbolising day, banishing the bat, which symbolises night. The bat also evoked, in Gallé's words,'... the darkness of a night in the forest...the rustle, the whispering and mysterious activity of things which are unseen, but which watch, and go about their business in secret' . The applied coloured glass decorations that imitate rich jewelling are called cabochons. They were not included on the simpler versions of the design that were produced in the early years after Gallé died in 1904. These versions have the Gallé mark, together with a star. This combined mark was used on pieces made after his death. |
Bibliographic references |
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Other number | 9451 - Glass gallery number |
Collection | |
Accession number | C.53-1992 |
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Record created | December 13, 1997 |
Record URL |
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