HB Quimper Odetta vase in cobalt blue glazed stoneware — Art Deco design, 1920s

A profile of a Breton woman stands out against the deep blue, like an effigy struck from the earth. This glazed stoneware vase belongs to the Odetta line, created in the 1920s by the Grande Maison HB in Quimper. The Quimper house — heir to a tradition born at the end of the 17th century — then embarks on a resolutely modern turn: stoneware succeeds faience, shapes are stripped down, and ornamentation embraces the vocabulary of Art Deco. Odetta is born from this momentum, in the wake of the Seiz Breur, who aim to renew the arts of Brittany. The regional figure is no longer picturesque but stylised: a female face in a medallion, with a headdress and lines reduced to the essentials, outlined with a sure stroke on a cobalt background. Fired at high temperature, the stoneware offers its density and clear sound; the glaze, applied in a strong flat, captures the light without ever shattering it. The material, dull and full, responds to the finesse of the drawing — the entire art of the manufacture lies in this harmony. Signed and numbered "HB Quimper Odetta n°165" on the reverse. Dimensions: 15 × 11 × H 11 cm. Very good original condition: intact varnish, without chips or repairs.