Clément Massier

CLÉMENT MASSIER (Vallauris, 1844 - Golfe-Juan, 1917)
Planter with pedestal.
Glazed ceramic.
Stamp on the base.
Measurements: 86 cm. pedestal + 58 cm. planter.

Glazed ceramic jardinière by Clément Massier, French ceramist fundamental in the renovation of the artistic ceramics of Vallauris at the end of the XIX century. The whole has an intense glazed covering in reddish tones, with a glossy finish, which enhances the movement of the surface and gives the piece a marked ornamental presence.

The spiral grooved decoration creates an ascending rhythm of great dynamism. This sinuous line, of clear modernist sensibility, links with the decorative taste of the end of the century, in which organic forms, the brightness of the enamel and the chromatic richness acquired a leading role.

The piece retains a stamp on the base, which reinforces its interest within Massier's production and the French artistic ceramics of the Belle Époque.

Clément Massier came from a family of ceramists and began working at a young age in the workshop of his father, Jacques Massier. After teaming up with his brother Delphin, he founded his own house in Golfe-Juan, specializing in artistic ceramics with shiny and iridescent glazes, highly appreciated in the context of Art Nouveau. His work is preserved in institutions such as the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.