French Ceramics of the 1950s

From the post-war period until the mid-1960s, French ceramic creation was characterized by an astonishing abundance. From the exaltation of color to the rigor of sandstone, from the exacerbation of sculptural forms in the search for simplicity, from the series to the unique piece, it bears witness to both its time and its belonging to the arts and popular traditions. Pierre Staudenmeyer's historical and thematic analysis documents the characterization of this traditional art in a rapidly changing world and its encounter with modern art, initiated by Picasso in Vallauris – a decisive encounter leading to the liberation of forms and the abandonment of the technical virtuosity sought until then. The author illustrates its extraordinary vitality through the exemplary journeys of around forty potters, including Roger Capron, Jean Derval, Élisabeth Joulia, Georges Jouve and Suzanne Ramié, whose work, whether it has a timeless dimension or it represents the epitome of a bygone period, provides valuable roots for our own modernity.

Latest copies