206 - Jean Derval (French, 1925–2010)

Jean Derval (French, 1925–2010) Fountain with Angel and Basin, 1989 Glazed ceramic. Signed. Height: approx. 200 cm; width: approx. 280 cm. Never installed. A restored piece. Provenance: - private commission, Ms. Sylvie Galland, Champigny-sur-Marne (letter from Derval enclosed); - private collection, Puy-de-Dôme. Derval, the Postwar Ceramicist A graphic designer and poster artist trained at the School of Applied Arts, Jean Derval discovered the craft of ceramics at the Maubrou-Pigaglio studio in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, then at La Borne under Paul Breyer. In 1947, he joined the ceramicists Robert Picault and Roger Capron in Vallauris, where they worked alongside Picasso at the Madoura studio. The unique pieces they created at that time blended anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, Cubist and abstract influences from the Andalusian master, as well as mythological and religious references drawn from their backgrounds and devout upbringing. Architectural Ceramics During the 1960s, Jean Derval took a different path from his contemporaries and turned his attention to architecture and monumental design. While remaining faithful to one-of-a-kind pieces, this shift in scale compelled him to return to geometry and the drawing board. He learned to experiment with the thickness, shape, and dimensions of each tile, in contrast to the standardized productions of other ceramicists. He then collaborated with architects, such as Philippe Roberty, on projects for their clientele in Paris and along the French Riviera. During the 1970s and 1980s, he created fountains with successive overflows, three of which are documented. These hybrid works lie at the intersection of sculpture, architecture, and glazed ceramics. He also ventured into monumental art as part of the “1% Art” program, as seen in Sophia Antipolis. A Mature Work Never installed, this “Fountain with an Angel” dates from 1989. It is accompanied by all original plans and documents. This particular commission represents a mature work for the artist, in which he revisits several earlier compositions, such as the geometric figures from a project created for the INPI or his “Water-Bearer” conceived in 1985. The various influences that characterize his work are evident here: antiquity, as seen in the column; Cubism; and a touch of Orientalism, particularly noticeable in the treatment of the palm fronds. How, then, can one not see in this composition a metaphor for water falling from the sky and bringing life, lending this monumental work a dimension that is at once symbolic, architectural, and poetic? Nicolas Clery