Émile Gallé Alpine Glass Vase

Description

Exceptional in both size and artistry, this sand-polished cameo art glass vase from the famed Art Nouveau master Émile Gallé features an exceedingly rare alpine scene. The artist’s love of nature is evident in the detailed rendition of mountains that appear to tower over diminutive trees and houses, with an interplay of warm and cool tones. Measuring nearly two feet high and over a foot across, the vase is much larger than is typical of Gallé’s vases, yet it is still magnificently proportioned, allowing for a sense of grace and elegance.

Émile Gallé opened a small woodworker’s shop in 1885, where he began experimenting with marquetry designs in furniture and naturalistic glass designs. In 1889, he displayed his new glass creations at the Paris International Exhibition, where the designs and colors not previously seen caused an immediate sensation. The new style of Art Nouveau had begun to appear, and the movement’s aesthetics and devotion to nature appealed greatly to the young Gallé. In 1894, Gallé built a manufacturing plant in Nancy and began creating his own designs from inception through production. Gallé personally developed many of the designs, and he was known to actively make alterations and approve the designs of his talented team of designers and craftsmen he employed at the “Cristallerie D’Emile Gallé.”

Signed “Gallé”

Circa 1900

17 1/2″ high x 13″ wide x 6″ deep