Deeply rooted in the history of the Decorative Arts of the 20th century, Georges Jouve is today the most sought after and most expensive ceramist. Free forms, sober, generous materials, make the work of this ceramist a work of incredible originality. Dear at the heart of Edouard Demachy and the starting point of his collection, the pitcher we are about to discuss is a magnificent example.
Georges Jouve (1910-1964)
After training in sculpture at the Ecole Boulle, Georges Jouve studied painting at the Académie Julian, then at the Grande Chaumière He developed his taste for ceramics during the Occupation, a period during which he took refuge with his family in the Drôme, near Dieulefit, a city known for this art For the production of his pieces, Jouve prefers modeling to turning, which allows him to create free forms
Once the war was over, Jouve returned to live in Paris. His production evolved and more sober but richer enamels appeared on his pieces. He used very dense whites which he sometimes adorned with polychrome decorations, but also enamels black or slightly satin copper He also does a lot of research on the effects of materials, especially on crackle
In 1949, a turning point took place in his career following the exhibition of his works at the Salon des artistes décorateurs. His work then turned towards sculpture, which enabled him to collaborate with architects. The 1950s were particularly rich and productive Georges Jouve died prematurely in 1964, suffering from lead poisoning due to the use of lead-based enamels
Edouard Demachy's favorite piece: A small pitcher decorated with a rooster
This pitcher could date from the end of the 1940s or the beginning of the 1950s. Its somewhat greasy and crackled enamel was widely used in those years.
Jouve had several productions, on the one hand hand-turned shaped parts, on the other hand molded parts that can be described as more industrial It goes without saying that hand-turned parts are among the most expensive ceramics on the market This pitcher is a shaped piece, it is not quite straight, there are some "clumsiness", the handle is not really symmetrical We feel that this piece was really made in the hand
The pitcher is adorned with a rooster, an animal dear to Jouve that can be found on many of his creations, in particular sconces from the 1940s, dishes... The rooster is not simply painted, it is incised and the pigments of colors were introduced and fired later The colors used are also typical of Jouve's work
This shape of pitcher is not unique in its kind in the production of Jouve We find some of them, with different patterns and enamels This one is of magnificent quality
How to recognize a piece by Georges Jouve?
Georges Jouve's ceramics always have a high quality of enamel He uses the technique of enamelled earthenware which is a very thick earthenware In general, the pieces are very heavy His colors and patterns are also very recognizable When the ceramics are turned over, they are always signed, either Jouve in full or with what is called the acronym of Apollon Sigle used by Jouve in the 1940s. It was the starting point of my collection. I even seem to have found it at Paul Bert Serpette! I kept it at home until now and today I want to collect something else As a collector, it is always difficult to part with your pieces, but the prospect of new discoveries is, fortunately, a real engine
