480 - Marie Laure de Noailles, two artist’s plates, black decoration, Christofle edition, France

Marie Laure de Noailles, two artist’s plates, black decoration, Christofle edition, France Porcelain, white, glazed, hand-painted in black, the inner drawing partly scratched into the still-wet paint. 1) Plate with deep black well and a broad bow border on the rim, at the centre a woman’s head in three-quarter profile surrounded by dense curls. 2) Plate with a sun face with radiating crown at the centre, surrounded by arcs, circles, dots and zigzag bands, the rim with bar and stroke patterns. Both plates inscribed on the reverse in black “Marie Laure”, below a small stylised leaf, and “edité par Christofle”. Age-appropriate condition, partly rubbed, scratches, the plate with the sun motif stained at the centre. D. approx. 25 cm each. The inscription refers to a documented series of painted artist’s plates issued by Tony Bouilhet, president of the Orfèvrerie Christofle, at the suggestion of Jean Cocteau. The collection grew to nearly one hundred plates; contributors included Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Joan Miró, Man Ray, André Masson, Paul Éluard, Léonor Fini, Françoise Gilot and Victor Vasarely. The plates were exhibited in 1942 and 1951 at the Galerie Christofle in Paris. Among the participating painters was Marie-Laure de Noailles (1902 to 1970), who signed her works “Marie Laure”, very often followed by a stylised tree leaf; painting on plates is part of her documented oeuvre.