.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
One of the most notable ceramicists of the early post-war era, Georges Jouve, discovered a formula for producing works that have withstood the test of time thanks to his highly varied training and gift for experimentation. In the late 1920s, Jouve studied Art History and sculpture while at the École Boulle in Paris and, after graduation, continued his artistic studies at the Académie Julian and Académie de la Grande Chaumière and took evening classes at the Place des Vosges. It was during his time at the École Boulle that Jouve received the nickname Apollo (or Apollon). A name reserved for his closest friends and of such significance to him that during his years as a ceramicist, he incorporated it into his signature in the form of an alpha cipher. Following his time at the Academies, Jouve trained in an architectural firm for a while before deciding to pursue a career as a stage set designer. But it was his studies as a sculptor that had the most significant influence on his ceramic forms.
His fame as one of the greatest ceramicists of the 20th century is linked to a string of tragic occurrences during the second world war. Jouve was drafted into the Army in 1939 and was taken captive by German forces shortly after. Despite multiple attempts to tunnel his way to freedom, he was interned in a concentration camp for two years before escaping. For the remainder of the war, Jouve found himself residing in Nyons in the Drôme near Dieulefit, a potter's village in the South of France designated a "Free Zone" by the Vichy government. Out of necessity, Jouve learned the art of ceramics in order to financially support his growing family, as the war made it increasingly difficult to make a living. He began selling decorative ceramics modeled in clay made from the rich Dieulefit soil. The potting traditions and religious objects of the region heavily inspired his works. His first creations were small figures of the Virgin and stoups that he glazed with galena. A signature of Jouve's early work, galena was a traditional lead-based green glaze that he used until 1944, when he moved to Paris and began using enamel produced by local vendors.
In later years, Jouve became an expert in accentuating his sculptural forms through the use of light and the manipulation of glazes and enamels. He relied on stamping and casting techniques that provided him with total control and uniformity, allowing him to create the perfect symmetry of his cylinders. During the 1950s, he went through a period in which his focus transitioned to perfecting his use of striking white tones and deep metallic and matte blacks. The latter was achieved through his experimentation in manipulating the oxygen levels in the kiln, a technique likely inspired by the bucchero pottery of the Etruscans dating as far back as 600 BC. Still, it's also important to note his ongoing incorporation of electrifying shades of reds, oranges, greens, and yellows. His mastery over form and color quickly caught the eye of the esteemed designer Jacques Adnet who included Jouve in La Ceramique Contemporaine, an exhibition organized by the Compagnie des Arts Francais (CAF), introducing him to the international market and beginning his ascent into notoriety.
His fame as one of the greatest ceramicists of the 20th century is linked to a string of tragic occurrences during the second world war. Jouve was drafted into the Army in 1939 and was taken captive by German forces shortly after. Despite multiple attempts to tunnel his way to freedom, he was interned in a concentration camp for two years before escaping. For the remainder of the war, Jouve found himself residing in Nyons in the Drôme near Dieulefit, a potter's village in the South of France designated a "Free Zone" by the Vichy government. Out of necessity, Jouve learned the art of ceramics in order to financially support his growing family, as the war made it increasingly difficult to make a living. He began selling decorative ceramics modeled in clay made from the rich Dieulefit soil. The potting traditions and religious objects of the region heavily inspired his works. His first creations were small figures of the Virgin and stoups that he glazed with galena. A signature of Jouve's early work, galena was a traditional lead-based green glaze that he used until 1944, when he moved to Paris and began using enamel produced by local vendors.
In later years, Jouve became an expert in accentuating his sculptural forms through the use of light and the manipulation of glazes and enamels. He relied on stamping and casting techniques that provided him with total control and uniformity, allowing him to create the perfect symmetry of his cylinders. During the 1950s, he went through a period in which his focus transitioned to perfecting his use of striking white tones and deep metallic and matte blacks. The latter was achieved through his experimentation in manipulating the oxygen levels in the kiln, a technique likely inspired by the bucchero pottery of the Etruscans dating as far back as 600 BC. Still, it's also important to note his ongoing incorporation of electrifying shades of reds, oranges, greens, and yellows. His mastery over form and color quickly caught the eye of the esteemed designer Jacques Adnet who included Jouve in La Ceramique Contemporaine, an exhibition organized by the Compagnie des Arts Francais (CAF), introducing him to the international market and beginning his ascent into notoriety.