Alexandre Charpentier

ALEXANDRE CHARPENTIER (Paris,1856-Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1909).
Jug, ca. 1892.
Silver-plated pewter.
Signed and dated on the back.
Marks and numbering on the side of the mouthpiece.
Bibliography: Philippe Dahhan, "Etains 1900 - 200 Sculpteurs de la Belle Epoque", Editions de l'amateur. Page 88, fig. 212.
Weight: 1,160 g.
Measurements: 13 x 11.5 x 10 cm.

This silver-plated pewter jug is a piece that captures the essence of the movement. Its elegant cylindrical silhouette culminates in a beaked mouthpiece, but it is its handle that comes to life: a sculpted satyr clings to it while playing Pan's flute, fusing functionality with classical sculpture in a purely organic design.

Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier was a successful sculptor, medalist, craftsman and cabinetmaker. Tempted by sculpture, the young man was forced to learn medal engraving at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He later became workshop assistant to the innovative medalist Hubert Ponscarme, developing an excellent bas-relief technique that led him to consider himself a "bas-reliever". Along with Ponscarme, Louis-Oscar Roty, and other artists, Charpentier fostered a resurgence of artistry in French medal design. Charpentier opened several cabinetmakers and designed numerous pieces of furniture. Today his work is preserved in the Musée d'Orsay.