Jules Jouant

JULES JOUANT (Paris, 1863- Cherisy, 1938).
Vase, ca.1900.
Silver-plated pewter.
Signed on the back.
Ettlinger Frères foundry stampon the back.
Bibliography: Philippe DAHHAN, Étains 1900, 200 Sculpteurs de la Belle Époque, Les Éditions de l'Amateur, Paris, 2000, reproduced p. 211, fig. 608-609.
Weight: 4,100 g.
Measurements: 32 x 20 x 16 cm.

Large silver-plated pewter vase from the Art Nouveau period, an example of the creative freedom of the period, where the human figure and natural elements merge to elevate a functional object to the category of art sculpture. Its body is decorated in relief with a bucolic scene that is repeated on both sides: young people playing the harp in a lush forest. The piece accentuates the organic design with two large branches serving as side handles and rich vegetal ornamentation throughout. The vase is signed and bears the stamp of the Ettlinger Frères foundry on the reverse.

Jules Jouant was a French sculptor who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was one of Auguste Rodin's pupils. Although he exhibited busts of notable figures (such as Prince Gedroyc in 1883 and musicians such as Wagner, Chopin and Beethoven), his greatest fame is due to his decorative pewter objects in pure Art Nouveau style. His extensive production (vases, lamp bases, jugs, etc.) was made by prestigious foundries such as Barbedienne, Eugène Blot and Ettlinger Frères. Jouant, who also collaborated with the Daum workshops, received an honorable mention at the 1913 Salon and was appointed professor at the École Boulle in Paris.

The production of pieces like this one is associated with specialized foundries such as Ettlinger Frères, active in the early 20th century. This foundry specialized in Art Nouveau pewter objects and collaborated with artists such as François Madurell and Joseph Berthier.