61 - Maurice Dufrêne (1876–1955)

Maurice Dufrêne (1876–1955) Model D709 – Vase design F1001 Glazed earthenware Produced by Boch Frères Keramis, La Louvière Model created in 1922 for La Maîtrise, the art workshop of Galeries Lafayette in Paris H16 D15 cm Signed M. Dufrêne. Provenance: Collection of Marcel Stal and Claire De Pauw, Brussels, prominent collectors of Boch Keramis ceramics, including a donation of nearly 800 pieces that joined the collections of the Keramis – Centre de la Céramique in La Louvière. Bears an old label likely referring to the Charles Catteau collection. A pioneer of modern decorative arts, Maurice Dufrêne took over the direction of La Maîtrise in 1921—the art studio created by Galeries Lafayette to introduce furniture and objects of a new aesthetic to a broad public. This vase, designed for the studio and produced by the Belgian manufacturer Boch Frères, illustrates the exchange of designs between Parisian department stores and the ceramics industry at the dawn of Art Deco. Its provenance adds to its appeal: Marcel Stal and Claire De Pauw assembled one of the finest collections of Keramis ceramics, nearly 800 pieces of which have been donated to the Keramis – Centre de la Céramique in La Louvière.