We end the month on a chilly note. When I arose this morning, it was a brisk 11° below zero. Whew! I noted that Moscow was warmer this morning by 7 degrees. Luckily, today's forecast promises a rocketing-up to 15° Fahrenheit—a temperature which I've begun to consider balmy. Despite the cold, the winter can be beautiful (until it's not). The snow can be so pristine (until it's not). And the season can be fun (until it's not). Like every other season, this one, too, shall pass. So let's enjoy any of the beautiful parts.
Shown above, a French Art Nouveau vase by Pierrefonds. Its classic, Chinese-inspired shape is decorated with a crystalline cornflower glazing which drips randomly down the cool, bluish-grey sides of the vessel. Such uncontrolled results—the amount of glaze, its whimsical path, its chemical reaction in the kiln—ensures that every piece of Pierrefonds is quite unique. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome piece.
The Pierrefonds pottery workshop was opened by a painter, a French nobleman, Comte Hallez d"Arros in 1903. He was enchanted by the picturesque village of Pierrefonds, about 50 miles Northeast of Paris. He envisioned producing handsome tableware—plates, bowls, pitchers—painted with fancy aristocratic heraldry: shields, banners, noble crests. He thought that the village's castle, decorated with turrets and gargoyles, would be a perfect backdrop to such a romantic and aspirational product line. And the pottery's name, La Societe Faienciere Heraldique de Pierrefonds, was bound to capture the public's attention. Alas, it wasn't long before the Count was searching for a more commercially-viable concept.
Art Nouveau sculptor, Emille Bouillon, was hired in 1912 to direct the reorganized company's artistic ascent—which he did with beautiful Art Nouveau shapes and wonderful crystalline and lustrous glazes. Soon Pierrefonds was selling in the smartest Paris shops (as well as in London, New York and throughout Europe). When the Moderne Style (later called Art Deco) became popular, Pierrefonds incorporated the new style amongst its offerings. In 1925, Pierrefonds won the Silver Medal at the prestigious Exposition des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. In 1937, Emille took ownership of the workshop, after which his two sons, Albert and René, ran the company until the pottery closed in 1966.
While the pottery workshop is now shuttered, the Medieval castle remains a popular sightseeing attraction today. It was first built in the 12th Century, expanded in the 14th Century, and destroyed by Richelieu in 1617. In 1810, Napoleon purchased the "romantic ruins" (for a song) and began restoration. His nephew, Napoleon III, continued the work in the mid-to-later 19th Century, and this is the castle one sees today.
Click on the photo above to learn more about the piece above.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only), please call 917-446-4248.