Description
From St. Clément, Luneville, by Émile Gallé, a Barbotine square shaped, trompe l’oeil asparagus plate, circa 1870.
Five raised asparagus spears are strewn across a beige basket weave ground. In the trompe l’oeil manner of fooling the eye, one corner of the plate shows the basket “torn away” creating the sauce well. The asparagus spears have hand painted detailing, the plate is edged with a painted brown and black lining.
Émile Gallé (1846 – 1904) was a major force in the French Art Nouveau movement, working in pottery, glass, and furniture. Gallé started making faience pottery in the 1860s. By 1874, he oversaw the Saint-Clement pottery, later moving the pottery to Nancy.
Marked: a hand-painted “St Ct G” on the verso.
Book reference: Pg. 27, Artichauts et Asperges en Barbotine by Maryse Bottero
8.5 in. Square x 1 in. H
All plates are in very good condition with the expected kiln effects, in the making.
