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1890s "Falling Leaves" Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer & Clément Massier Ceramic Vase

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    Posted 10 years ago

    cogito
    (124 items)

    The ceramic vases produced Clément Massier's Southern France studio were essentially an earthenware "canvas" upon which Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer was given the opportunity to demonstrate his design talent and early interest in natural forms so typical of the French Art Nouveau. Rendered in the highly desirable iridescent glaze of Massier's studio from the early 1890s, this vase is decorated with Lévy-Dhurmer's particular symbolist motif preoccupation of billowing fall leaves. Perfectly fired with a myriad of colors ranging from yellow to deep blues and reds. Painted inscription underneath, "CM, Golfe Juan, L. Levy." Dimensions: 7.10" (H) x 3.25"(W).

    -------------------

    Lévy-Dhurmer (September 30, 1865 - September 24, 1953) was a tour de force in the late 19th century to early 20th century Symbolist art movement. He is also recognized as being one of the foremost French artists of the Art Nouveau era, and as with many of his contemporaries, he was not content to practice his artistic talents within a single medium. Lévy-Dhurmer is known for his paintings, drawings, furniture, interior design and ceramics. It is through this latter medium that he began his artistic career.

    From 1886 to 1895, Lévy-Dhurmer was the primary ceramic decorator and then later overall artistic decorator at Clément Massier's palatial studio in Golfe-Juan, France on the Cote d'Azur. His early work for Massier was generally unsigned, but characteristically rendered in an etherial manner, generally involving detailed natural subjects and presaging his growing interest in Symbolist art (as can be seen in the vase above). Co-signed Massier pieces by Lévy-Dhurmer began around 1892, when the artist assumed the prized position of artistic director.

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    Comments

    1. cogito cogito, 10 years ago
      Thanks to you both. I had the luck of no one else detecting the "Levy" signature when it came to auction recently.
    2. surfdub66 surfdub66, 10 years ago
      Love its style & colours !!
    3. cogito cogito, 10 years ago
      I agree Paris1925. I sort of had a hint that it might be Levy before I figured out the signature. Anytime that I see a Massier vase with a falling leaves pattern my "Levy radar" gets piqued.
    4. SEAN68 SEAN68, 10 years ago
      stunning cogito!!
    5. TubeAmp TubeAmp, 10 years ago
      WOW!

      T A
    6. vetraio50 vetraio50, 10 years ago
      Well caught COGITO!
    7. Moonhill Moonhill, 10 years ago
      Love the vase....beautiful colors.
    8. cogito cogito, 10 years ago
      Thanks folks. My ultimate dream would be to own a Lévy-Dhurmer painting, but I suspect that will be a long-term, long shot.
    9. AnneLanders AnneLanders, 10 years ago
      atypical of the era, this is my study period of 1878 to 1914. What an equisite glaze. It might just look easy as its all cobled together in an array of colours but grasphing how to get that lustre takes years of trial and era and craftmanship.
      I'm assuming its salt glazed? The reds are typically harder to get, usually created by a higher temperature urn, rather than 800 degrees they ramp it up to 900 degrees. This however causes a lot of breakages which is why these lustre items are harder to find and more expensive....

      Beautiful item. you must be thrilled...
    10. fledermaus fledermaus, 10 years ago
      Yes, this is the toughest glaze to produce! I am sure they smiled and grunted funny sounds while holding this one.
    11. cogito cogito, 10 years ago
      Thanks AnneLanders and fledermaus. I still find it curious that these luster pieces were not quite to the French tastes of the time given the amount of craftsmanship, artistry and kiln control necessary to produce them. They could not be farther from the Japonist ceramics that were such the craze back then.

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