126 - Vase; MONTIÈRES, Amiens, c. 1930.

Vase; MONTIÈRES, Amiens, c. 1930. Glazed earthenware with a metallic sheen. Signed. Measurements: 36 x 18 cm. Vase with a stylized profile, featuring a globular body and flared base, topped by a narrow neck and a quadrangular mouth. It features two small symmetrical side punctures, created using the French “repris à la pince” technique, characteristic of certain modernist ceramic productions.Notable is the lustrous glaze with iridescent metallic sheens in shades of bronze, copper, green, and purplish hues. On the front of the neck is a vertical medallion featuring stylized plant motifs, reminiscent of grape clusters and sinuous leaves, inspired by Art Nouveau and the Vienna Secession. The Montières factory was founded in 1915 in the neighborhood of the same name in the city of Amiens, in northern France, during a particularly challenging period marked by World War I.Initially founded by Trouillot and the Marque brothers, the company underwent a decisive transformation in 1917, when the industrialist Désiré Borck took over its management and brought in the ceramist Jean Barol as artistic and technical director.Under this new direction, Montières developed a line of high-quality artistic ceramics, characterized by experimentation with glazes, iridescent effects, and polychrome decorations. Its creations achieved significant commercial success, coming to be sold in the leading stores of Paris. The factory went through various stylistic phases. Its early productions were linked to Art Nouveau, featuring a strong presence of plant and animal motifs and naturalistic compositions, as well as the use of glazes with metallic sheen. During the 1920s, the arrival of new managers and designers spurred a shift toward Art Deco. The addition of industrialist Pierre Motton toward the end of the decade helped solidify this modern direction. The Amiens workshops ceased operations in 1933.