Jérôme Massier, pot cover "Tulip"

Jérôme MASSIER (1830-1916) MANUFACTURE JÉRÔME MASSIER FILS, VALLAURIS Planter "Tulip" Polychrome glazed earthenware, oval impressed mark "Jérôme Massier" under the base. Vallauris, circa 1900-1910. A planter in a naturalistic shape representing a fully opened tulip. The body consists of upright petals with cut edges and relief modelling, covered in a nuanced glaze in shades of almond green, water green, and pale yellow. The body rests on a circular base concealed beneath a composition of large ribbed leaves treated in relief. Two curved lateral leaves form handles integrated into the structure of the object. The whole presents a particularly sculptural modelling, characteristic of the naturalistic productions of Vallauris at the turn of the 20th century. Under the base is the oval impressed stamp of the Jérôme MASSIER manufacture, attesting to its Vallauris origin. This model belongs to the Art Nouveau production of the Jérôme MASSIER manufacture, one of the most important dynasties of ceramists in Vallauris. From the 1890s, Jérôme MASSIER developed a repertoire directly inspired by the plant and animal world, in perfect resonance with the aesthetic explorations of Art Nouveau. The work illustrates this fascination with living nature: the utilitarian function of the planter fades behind an almost organic conception of the object, whose silhouette evokes a flower in full growth. The piece also testifies to the technical mastery of the MASSIER workshops in the use of coloured glazes and complex moulded shapes. The naturalistic creations of Jérôme MASSIER are among the most sought-after productions of French ceramics from the Belle Époque. They contributed to the international fame of Vallauris during the major exhibitions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bibliography: Pierre Faveton, Les Massier, ceramists in Vallauris, Ed.