435 - ALEXANDRE KOSTANDA (1921–2007) for VALLAURIS—modern ceramic sculpture—signed on the bottom—H: 32 cm

ALEXANDRE KOSTANDA (1921–2007) for VALLAURIS—modern ceramic sculpture—signed on the bottom—H: 32 cm He was one of the ceramicists who organised the Vallauris International Ceramics Biennale in 1968. His work, which was sensual and sculptural in its early days, evolved towards a more understated style, featuring floral or abstract motifs. The decorations were often painted by his mother, Irène, a former ‘Ripolin’ decorator at Giraud. In Vallauris, despite the vibrant colours of the local ceramics, Alexandre Kostanda retained a preference for muted colours, close to the natural hues of the clay. His ceramics, though rustic in appearance, surprise with the finesse of their craftsmanship and the balance of their proportions, revealing Kostanda’s exceptional technical mastery.