Vase
ca. 1910-20 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Émile Decoeur (1876-1953) was apprenticed to Edmond Lachenal from the age of 14 (1890) at Chatillon-sous-Bagneaux (Seine) learning the essential pottery-making skills, initially in working and glazing earthenware. He began to exhibit independently from about 1901 and developed an interest in stoneware a year or two later, experimenting with more demanding glazes such as high temperature flammées. He opened his own studio-workshop at Fontenay-aux-Roses (Seine) in 1907, moving into porcelain - as did several of his contemporaries. Towards the end of his life he worked at Sèvres from 1939-42 and remained as consultant to the factory until 1948. Over a long career, Decoeur played an important part in French artistic and studio ceramics, specialising in thick, matt glazes in creamy greys, greens, blues and pinks. From around 1910, he introduced a variety of ornamental techniques like incising or carving, as well as painting in thick slip (liquid clay) as on this vase. Changing his decorative style to match the fashions of the times, this vase suggests 1920s Art Deco.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Stoneware with slip glazes and incised decoration |
Brief description | Stoneware vase with slip glaze and incised decoration, made by Emile Decoeur, ca. 1910, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France |
Physical description | Large grey stoneware vase with a high shoulder and low neck. The body of the vase is covered with an extremely thick glaze of mottled grey, cream and brown; the neck and shoulder are decorated with a low relief pattern of overlapping bamboo leaves in creamy white, with incised outlines. At the front of the vase are two white bamboo stems, rising from a cluster of leaves near the base to meet the leaves around the shoulder. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions | "Decoeur" incised |
Credit line | Purchased from the Handley-Read Collection |
Object history | Formerly part of the Handley-Read Collection. Charles and Lavinia Handley-Read were highly knowledgeable collectors. The V&A acquired a number of objects in all materials on their deaths in 1972. |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | Émile Decoeur (1876-1953) was apprenticed to Edmond Lachenal from the age of 14 (1890) at Chatillon-sous-Bagneaux (Seine) learning the essential pottery-making skills, initially in working and glazing earthenware. He began to exhibit independently from about 1901 and developed an interest in stoneware a year or two later, experimenting with more demanding glazes such as high temperature flammées. He opened his own studio-workshop at Fontenay-aux-Roses (Seine) in 1907, moving into porcelain - as did several of his contemporaries. Towards the end of his life he worked at Sèvres from 1939-42 and remained as consultant to the factory until 1948. Over a long career, Decoeur played an important part in French artistic and studio ceramics, specialising in thick, matt glazes in creamy greys, greens, blues and pinks. From around 1910, he introduced a variety of ornamental techniques like incising or carving, as well as painting in thick slip (liquid clay) as on this vase. Changing his decorative style to match the fashions of the times, this vase suggests 1920s Art Deco. |
Collection | |
Accession number | C.56-1972 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | November 12, 2007 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest