This is a truly exceptional piece of French Art Pottery made by Gilbert Portanier (1926 - 2023), Vallauris. My vase is signed on the side and also on the base, as photographed
Portanier was born at Cannes in 1926. He was one of the ceramic artists who contributed to the revival of French Art Pottery in the 1950s in Vallauris. He studied architecture in Paris in 1945.
In 1948 he returned to the French Riviera where, during a visit to Vallauris, he discovered the world of ceramics and met with Picasso.
Portanier established the studio 'Le Triptyque' in 1949. The presence of Picasso at Vallauris in the 1950s attracted other artists, painters and sculptors to the area and they came to try their hand at ceramics.
Gilbert Portanier's ceramics in the 1950s exploited the play of dullness and shine in the decoration of his pots. This pot has a dull textured front which contrasts with the plain shiny glaze on the reverse.
Portanier had a close collaboration with Rosenthal from 1964-2009. He had numerous awards and exhibitions, including at the MKG Hamburg, Kunstgewerbemuseum Köln, Musée National de Céramique, Sèvres, and many others.
Portanier died in 2023 at his home in Vallauris. He was 96 years old.
This stunning 50s vase is of monumental size. It is some 18 1/2 inches in height.
The vase is hand-formed from separate slabs of clay - with raised and incised decorations of the bisque front section. The front of the vase has a matt roughened texture with fine abstract patterns - and then all painted with ochre coloured dry glazes. This contrasts with the shoulders and back of the vase - with a a mustard colour and shiny glazes.
There is a mustard glossy glaze around the base - and at the front it is signed Portanier. There are more signatures on the base, as photographed.
It is rare to find a Portanier vase of this exceptional scale. Dimensions: The height is 18 1/4 inches. The width at the widest point is 11 inches. The depth is 4 1/4 inches.
It weighs in at a stonking 3.5 kg unpacked.
UK Postage only. This will cost £24.95 to post to you with Parcelforce24 due to the size and weight.