THE ITEM
This elegantly shaped piece is a collaboration by Yves Mohy and Virebent, both renowned names in the field of ceramics. This glazed lens vase portrays a peaceful tranquil and poetic landscape of misty mountains and birds in the distance. The pale clay bears small flecks of brown inclusions and to me, adds to the effect of gazing at the panoramic view through the lenses of an vintage camera.
CONDITION
Excellent, no damages or traces of use, with the exception faint movement marks on the base as you would expect from a piece of this age, the 'Virebent Porcelaine' stamp is also found on the base. Please see photos as part of condition report.
MEASUREMENTS
Height: 7.3" / 18.5 cm by 8" / 20 cm across the body's widest point.
Unpackaged weight: c. 0.9 kg / 908 g
NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Yves Mohy (1928 - 2004) studied architecture at the Beaux-Arts School in Paris, then ceramic at the Art and Craft School in Paris also. Yves Mohy and his wife arrived at La Borne in 1955: the post-war period was difficult for everyone; the isolation and poverty of this village of potters didn't make things any easier. It would be a lifelong journey of travelling to different parts of France to develop his craft before he would leave for L'Hérault in 1993. Mohy favoured sandstone, first to create useful pieces, adding engobes, mastering the cooking to obtain surfaces of a great fineness. Then he combined to sandstone other materials as wood, cast iron, slate, etc. creating highly architectural pieces.
Down through the riverside village of Puy l'Eveque is the factory for Virebent pottery.
The factory found a base here in the south west corner of France in 1924, although the Virebent family had been known as architects and ceramists in Toulouse since the 18th century. Today, the Virebent factory buildings are well-worn and a hand full of staff work on pieces of pottery whilst the occasional visitor strolls around the shop and exhibition room. In the exhibition room you can learn more about how the factory moved from making ceramic items for the electronics industry, to move towards making stoneware, earthenware and porcelain.