Baluster vase stoneware Eugène Lion - Puisaye

Vase in the form of a baluster, with a slightly flared neck and rounded body, made by the ceramist Eugène Lion (1867-1945), a key figure of the Carriès school in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye. The glaze, a deep brown with aubergine reflections, is complemented by a vertical grey-blue drip and reveals a wide reserve of bare gilded stoneware at the base, creating a gradient of materials very characteristic of Poyaudine production. Beautiful quality of turning, balanced and harmonious silhouette. Born in 1867 in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, Eugène Lion comes from a lineage of potters established in the region since the 18th century; he learned the trade from his father, Amand Lion. When the sculptor Jean Carriès arrived in Puisaye in 1887, he initiated Lion into the traditional techniques of local utilitarian pottery, becoming an essential link between the creator and the village artisans. Until Carriès' death in 1894, he balanced his own production with assisting the master's work, from which he would retain a lasting taste for experimentation and Japonisme influence. He became one of the main representatives of the Carriès school, recognised for his intricate glazes and aesthetics close to wabi-sabi. He died in 1945. His work is preserved notably at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. He is referenced as a major artist in the book Grès de Puisaye – From Jean Carriès to the Present – Marks and Signatures. Condition: perfect condition. Dimensions: H 11.5 cm X diameter 8.5 cm. Material: Glazed stoneware. Signature: Eugène Lion.