Manuel Millet

MANUEL MILLET (Spain, 1988).
Vase, ca. 1988.
Glazed ceramic, hand-decorated with a composition of stylized birds and geometric motifs in shades of ochre, black, and blue-green.
Signed, dated, and marked with the location on the base.
Condition: In very good overall condition. Slight wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: 33 x 26 cm.

The vase up for auction is highly representative of Manuel Millet’s style. It brings together several of the features that characterize his ceramic work: a contemporary reinterpretation of the Art Deco style, symmetrical composition, the prominence of stylized figures—especially birds such as swans or peacocks— the use of pronounced reliefs, and a rich decoration based on geometric motifs reminiscent of mosaics. Furthermore, the combination of glazes in shades of ochre, gold, brown, black, and green, together with the sculptural modeling of the surface, fully embodies his aesthetic. This type of vase, in which the ceramic is conceived as both a decorative object and a sculptural piece, is one of Manuel Millet’s most characteristic and recognizable works.

Manuel Millet was a Catalan ceramicist and sculptor active primarily during the 1980s and 1990s, known for his unique pieces of decorative ceramics inspired by the Art Deco style, though reinterpreted with a contemporary sensibility. His work is characterized by vases and sculptural objects of high artisanal quality, decorated with reliefs, stylized figures, geometric motifs, animals, and allegories, executed with earth-toned glazes and Mediterranean-inspired polychromatic designs. His works are usually signed and dated, and they currently appear frequently on the design and decorative arts market, where they are prized for their meticulous craftsmanship and sculptural quality. Although he did not achieve the international prominence of the great historical designers of the 20th century, his creations are considered representative of the renewal of Catalan artistic ceramics in the late 20th century and are increasingly present in galleries and specialized platforms for collectible design.