Palissy ware
Encyclopedia
"Palissy ware" is a nineteenth-century term for ceramics
produced in the style of the famous French potter Bernard Palissy
(c 1510-1590), who referred to his own work in the familiar manner as rustique. Palissy's distinctive style of polychrome lead-glazed earthenware in a sombre earth-toned palette, using naturalistic motifs in high relief, was much imitated by other potters both in his own lifetime and especially in the nineteenth century, when imitations were produced by Charles-Jean Avisseau of Tours, who rediscovered Palissy's techniques in 1843, his relatives the Landais family of Tours, Georges Pull of Paris and the Mafra Pottery, as well as many conscious fakes; it is now difficult to identify which 16th century works in the rustique manner are actually by Palissy's own workshop except by comparison with either fragments excavated in 1878 from remains of the grotto
he certainly decorated at the Tuileries Palace
for Catherine de' Medici
, who called him to Paris in 1566 or from excavations at the site of his Paris
workshop in the Palais du Louvre
. Many museums have now become cautious in their attributions.
This distinctive style of pottery is characterized by three-dimensional modelled, often aquatic, animals such as snakes, fish, lizards, frogs and snails, arranged onto large platters. Typically, each component is modelled and painted individually.
Ceramics (art)
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
produced in the style of the famous French potter Bernard Palissy
Bernard Palissy
Bernard Palissy was a French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain...
(c 1510-1590), who referred to his own work in the familiar manner as rustique. Palissy's distinctive style of polychrome lead-glazed earthenware in a sombre earth-toned palette, using naturalistic motifs in high relief, was much imitated by other potters both in his own lifetime and especially in the nineteenth century, when imitations were produced by Charles-Jean Avisseau of Tours, who rediscovered Palissy's techniques in 1843, his relatives the Landais family of Tours, Georges Pull of Paris and the Mafra Pottery, as well as many conscious fakes; it is now difficult to identify which 16th century works in the rustique manner are actually by Palissy's own workshop except by comparison with either fragments excavated in 1878 from remains of the grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
he certainly decorated at the Tuileries Palace
Tuileries Palace
The Tuileries Palace was a royal palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed in the upheaval during the suppression of the Paris Commune...
for Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
, who called him to Paris in 1566 or from excavations at the site of his Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
workshop in the Palais du Louvre
Palais du Louvre
The Louvre Palace , on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois...
. Many museums have now become cautious in their attributions.
This distinctive style of pottery is characterized by three-dimensional modelled, often aquatic, animals such as snakes, fish, lizards, frogs and snails, arranged onto large platters. Typically, each component is modelled and painted individually.