Style Art Nouveau / Ref.13603

Emile Gallé, Desk lamp with Clematis, circa 1900

This splendid desk lamp is a famous model, called "with Clematis", signed by the French glass maker Emile Gallé (1846-1904), it was made in the 1900's.
Well-known figure of the decorative arts and considered as a pioneer of the Art Nouveau in France, Emile Gallé, was passionated by the natural sciences, which is the reason why he drew a lot plants, animals and insects. He starts by working for the earthenware factory of his father before studying in London and then Paris. When he comes back in his hometown, Nancy, he imagine new techniques for the glass work and starts imitating nature.
He participates during the World Fairs of 1878, 1889 and 1893 when he meet a true success leading the spreading of his reputation to the world. He also receives the French Legion d'Honneur during the 1899 World Fair. In 1901, he creates the Ecole de Nancy with other important names of the French Art Nouveau movement, such as Victor Prouvé, Louis Majorelle, Antonin Daum and Eugène Vallin.

He creates here, a lamp of which the foot is made of patinated bronze and depicts ribbed stems and leaves. The two twister stems fall on each side holding lampshades shaped as clematis in multilayered glass with ribbed decoration and acid etched in an orange colour. We can also read the signature of the artist on them. It seems important to underline the nod of the artist to his hometown as it knows a very particular history with the clematis. Indeed, the founder of the Société centrale d’horticulture, Victor Lemoine, has crossed some varieties like the clematis viticella Kermesina.