119 - Centerpiece; LUNEVILLE; c. 1920.

Centerpiece; LUNEVILLE; c. 1920. Blown glass, wrought iron. Signed. Measurements: 26 x 46 x 32 cm. A blown-glass centerpiece in an amber-orange hue, set within a wrought-iron frame with a dark patina. The frame, articulated by symmetrical volutes and relief plant motifs, culminates in an arched handle that lends the piece a distinctly sculptural presence. The combination of intensely colored glass with the expressiveness of the metalwork evokes the ornamental language of late Art Nouveau and the transition toward the decorative forms of the early decades of the 20th century. The Muller Frères workshop, established in the Lunéville and Croismare area, gained particular prominence for its decorative glassware and lighting fixtures. Its artisans were trained in the artistic glassmaking milieu of the late 19th century, associated with Émile Gallé, before developing their own line of production. Beginning in 1919, the firm Muller Frères Lunéville branded a significant portion of its creations, which during the 1920s and 1930s evolved from the naturalistic motifs of Art Nouveau toward the more geometric and stylized forms characteristic of Art Deco.