Large "Canthara" Vase in "Fat Lava", Marius Giuge, Vallauris - 1960s

Large Greek-style "Kantharos" vase, 50cm tall, with scrolled handles decorated in a "foam" pattern. The white color of this piece is dotted with black cells that contrast with the light glaze. The technique used to achieve this effect involved adding chemical components to the glaze: depending on the chosen dosage, this created variations in the size and depth of the craters. This decorative style, invented by Marius Giuge, inspired the "Fat Lava" ceramics, which were very popular in Germany in the late 1960s and 1970s. This immense decorative vase is an iconic example of Marius Giuge's work from the 1960s and 1970s. It is signed on the base "MG VALLAURIS AM" for "Marius Giuge Vallauris Alpes Maritimes". There is a small chip in the glaze on the base, but it is barely noticeable. Marius Giuge, a key figure in Vallauris (1909-1980), lived through the post-war boom years with his classical forms and glazes that bordered on kitsch. He inherited the pottery skills of his father, Philippe, who had settled in Vallauris and from whom he learned the craft. In 1947, he opened his own workshop. He initially worked on traditional pieces before turning to decorative ceramics. An excellent potter, his workshops flourished. In the late 1960s, he developed his famous "meerschaum" decoration, created by adding chemical components to the glaze to achieve variations in the size and depth of the craters. This decoration, applied to large pieces with shapes inspired by Greek antiquities, is emblematic of his work. It was followed in West Germany by the post-war industrialized factories, which in turn developed "Fat Lava." In 1975, Marius Giuge passed his workshop on to his daughter, also a ceramicist, thus perpetuating the history of a family tradition. Facing the consequences of the oil crises, the workshop closed permanently in 1980 (following Mr. Giuge's death).