Camus – Jean Marie (1877 – 1955)
French sculptor and painter who exhibited at the Salon in Paris and worked in various medium – bronze, marble and terracotta. Born in Hermand-Ferand in 1877 and studied under Barrias and made his debut at the Salon in 1900. He won a gold medal in 1931 and was made a Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur.
Carlier, Emile Joseph Nestor (1849 – 1927)
Born in Cambrai, France and died in Paris 1927. He studied at local art schools and moved to Paris where he was a pupil of Jouffroy, Cavelier and Chapu at the Ecole des Beaux Arts.
Famous for his busts, animals and genre groups. He received many medals for his work and held the rank of Officier in the Legion of Honour.
Carrier-Belleuse, Albert
Born in 1927, he received many honours for his exceptional work. Famous for ‘Nature revealing herself’, died 1887, in his later years was the director of Sevres factory in France. Was responsible for the ceiling in the Louvre, Paris. Considered as a real Master of his art.
Cartier, Eugene (1861 – 1943)
French artist and sculptor who received Salon medal of honour 1926. Worked in bronze, mainly animalier – and oil on board.
Cartier, Thomas Francois
Born in Marseille, France 1879. First exhibited at the salons in 1908. Later to receive many awards.
Carvin, Auguste, (1868 – 1949)
French artist born in Paris who exhibited at the Salon, Paris from 1896. Specialised in sculpture, monuments and several large works in various municipal buildings, schools and hospitals.
Predominantly an animalier sculptor. It seems there were two Carvin animalier artists working at around the same time, one was Lois and the other Auguste.
The work of Lois Carvin was more naturalistic as he was earlier than Auguste Carvin who’s work was very art deco and stylised. He studied under Gardet and Fremiet and exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1894 – 1933. His latter work concentrated on genre compositions.
Causse, Cadet Julien
Born at Bourges, worked 1890 – 1914, studied in Paris under Falguiere and exhibited at The Salon des Artists Francais in the 1890s, obtaining honourable mentions in 1892 and 1900 and a third class medal in 1893.
He also took part in the exposition Universelle of 1900 and specialised in small figures. Pictures of his work can be found in the Berman book of Bronzes by Schiffer books.
Charles, C.
Art Deco Sculptural artist, worked with the Le Verrier foundry in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Unfortunately little information can be found on Charles to this day.
He is well known for his Diana on horseback (shown right).
Charol – Dorothea (Odessa Russia 1895 – London 1963)
Produced bronze and bronze and ivory pieces along with many ceramic statues. Her work was produced by the Volkstedt porcelain factory in Thuringia and also by Rosenthal.
Chiparus, Demetre Haralamb (1886 – 1947)
Statues created by Chiparus are some of the most famous and most desirable of the Art Deco sculptural items. Born in Dorohoi Romania he was the son of Haralamb and Saveta Chiparus. He took his fathers name as his middle name in memory of his father and often signed his name as D H Chiparus. He had one Brother who died under mysterious circumstances.
In 1909 he went to Italy, where he attended the classes of an Italian sculptor Raffaello Romanelli, he then went on to Paris when he was 20 years old and studied under Mercie and Boucher and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Francais from 1914 to 1928.
His earlier statues were created in a more naturalistic style and many were of children. He produced statues in bronze and ivory, bronze, spelter and terracotta and even plaster. He also produced ceramic boxes and night/perfume lamps and also paintings.
At the beginning of the 1920s his style changed to a more stylised Art Deco theme and he modelled statues depicting the Ballet Russes, Moulin Rouge and the Folies Berger. French theatre and early motion pictures were among his more notable subjects.
His was influenced by an interest in Egypt, after Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb was excavated and other exotic Counties of the world as travel was now more available due to ocean liners and and air flight.
He worked mainly with the Edmond Etling and Cie Foundry in Paris administrated by Julien Dreyfus. Les Neveux de J. Lehmann was the second foundry who also worked with Demetre Chiparus and produced the sculptures cast from his models.
Demetre Chiparus designed the most stylised and extravagant bases on which to present his sculptures, the bases made from an assortment of marbles and onyx many with a theatrical stage theme.
It would seem that he produced the statue in plaster line and then would sell it to the foundry. He would then be paid a commission for the amount produced, it would appear he may never have got paid for all his commissions. This could be part of the reason that some statues are unsigned. He worked on 12 pieces at a time and then would offer them to the foundry. They never refused any of his statues.
His pieces were sold worldwide as far as America, India and even to the Maharaja of Jaipor. I believe he used the pseudonyms Audine on a few of his bronze pieces and Larcourt and Darcles on some of the spelter pieces.
Chiparus statues are now highly sought after and fetch high prices by collectors worldwide. I can highly recommend the two books, Chiparus – The Master of Art Deco by my friend Alberto Shayo for anyone seeking further information and photographs of his works.
Christ, Fritze (1866 – 1906)
German bronze statuary artist. Ahead of his time as most of his statues were very Nouveau themed. Created his famous Astrape goddess of thunder and lightning statue. He studied under Widmann at the Munich Academy of art he exhibited his statues in Paris, Munich, Copenhagen and Chicago at the turn off the century.
Cian, Fernand (1889 – 1954)
Fernando Ciancianaini – French-Italian sculptor born Carrara, Italy and exhibited in Paris 1911 – 1928. Worked in bronze, marble and terracotta.
Cipriani, Ugo (1897 – 1960)
Prolific sculptor born in Florencia, Italy on 13th August 1897, died in Paris in June 1960. Studied at the famous Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze. He followed in his Fathers footsteps as he too was a sculptor. One of Ugo Cipriani’s most famous works is a statue of the patriot Oberdan in the Oberdan’s square in Florencia dated 1919.
He left Italy for France around 1935-1937 to escape from Mussolini’s fascist government and became a political refugee in Paris where he kept on working his craft until his death. Produced many fine art deco statuary items in various mediums including spelter, spelter and ivorine, bronze and terracotta.
There seems to be a connection between Menneville and Cipriani. In discussions with Lydia Cipriani his daughter I have been informed that her half brothers Mothers name was Madelaine Bouchetot de Menneville. I believe it is too much of a coincidence that the Menneville statues are very much in the style of Cipriani’s work. Also I have had signed Menneville pieces that Lydia believes are the work of her Father. I know for a fact that many of the works of Cipriani, Menneville (and Rochard) were produced by the Silvin foundry in Paris during the early 1930’s. Therefore I conclude it is highly likely that Menneville was a pseudonym used by Ugo Cipriani on his spelter and spelter and Ivorine pieces. His bronzes and terracottas were usually signed Cipriani and many were unsigned. I also believe he used the pseudonyms – De Viggo and Roggia. I thank Ugo Cipriani’s daughter, Lydia and son Gabriel for this important information.
Clara, Juan.
Spanish sculptor worked and exhibited in the Paris Salons.
Clerc, Sylvestre
French artist born 1912. Exhibited Paris during 1920’s.
Cocteau, Jean Maurice Eugene (1889 – 1963)
Born 5th July 1889 in Vyelines France and died 11th Oct 1963 (aged 74) in Millet-la-foret, Essone France. Jean Cocteau was one of the most multi talented artists of the 20th century. He was an artist, set designer, actor, novelist, poet and playwright. He worked with Sergei Diaghilev and did designs for the Ballet Russe. His designs were all rich with symbolism and surreal imagery. He is now regarded as one of the most important avant-garde directors in cinema.
Colinet, Claire Jeanne Roberte (1880 – 1950)
Belgian born female statuary artist worked during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco years in France. Born in Brussels and later moved to and worked in France, her career spanned over 40 years. She died in Asnieres-sur-Seine, France in 1950 aged around 69 – 70. She studied under Jef Lambeaux and exhibited at the Salon of the Society des Artistes Francais in 1913. From 1937 to 1940, she exhibited at the Salon des Independents in Paris and joined the Union of Women Painters and Sculptors. She was one of the few female statuary artists of her time.
Famous for her Ankara, Theban and Egyptian dancers – these statues are very powerful, strong subjects and often very theatrical. Most of her bronzes were made by the Etling et Cie. Goldscheider Les Never de J. Lehmann and Barbedienne foundries. She worked mainly in bronze and ivory. Colinet’s sculpture has become highly desirable to collectors and, increasingly, is selling for exorbitant sums. At a Christie’s sale in 2007, her Ankara Dancer sold for a hammer price of $285,984. Her statues are now highly sought after worldwide.
Compton Pottery
The Compton Pottery Guild started at the end of the 19th century with evening classes which were run by Mary Watts the wife of the renown Victorian artist G.F. Watts, herself a very accomplished artist she encouraged local people to come together under her guidance to make terracotta panels decorated with Celtic symbolism for the new cemetery chapel which the Watt’s had given as a gift to the village.
It was such a success that it led to a small pottery business which was run as a guild system with the workers having a financial interest in the business. The pottery flourished through the early 20th century making gravestones, sundials, large unglazed pots and other garden ornaments, many being sold through Liberty’s of London.
Smaller hand coloured unglazed items were also made. Compton designs have a strong mixture of Celtic and Art Nouveau styles making them easily recognised pieces. The firm closed in 1951.
Colin, Paul Hubert (1892 – 1985)
Born June 27, 1892 in Nancy, died June 18, 1985 in Nogent-sur-Marne. Colin was a French painter, draughtsman, designer, scenographer and poster artist, one of the most innovative and influential during the art deco period. A pupil of Eugene Vallin and Victor, Colin asserts himself after the First World War as the head of the modern School of the lithographed poster, through new reproductive techniques using gravure and serigraphy.
He created more than 1,400 posters, theatre sets and costumes. Revealed in 1925 by his poster for The Negro magazine, he helps to launch the career of Josephine Baker. He worked for nearly forty years for the performing Arts and the world of entertainment and was also one of Josephine Bakers lovers during the 1920s.
His style, at first very marked by both Art Deco and the new objectivity, quickly becomes very personal and difficult to bring into a simple category: the synthetic accuracy of his portraits, the force of evocation of his posters for the Great causes make it a master of the visual communication whose work remains exemplary today. His album The Black Tumult (1927), magnifying Josephine Baker and the jazz musicians of the Negro magazine, is undoubtedly a masterpiece. He is the founder and director of a drawing School (1929-1970) on the Boulevard Malesherbes in Paris.
Conde, Geo
Georges Jean Conde, born 25 June 1891, famous sculptor and ceramics artist who worked for the St. Clement ceramics company in Lorraine, along with Lemenceau during the 1920’s. Conde items are now highly sought after and he is now considered on par with Pompon, Adnet, Puiforcat and Sandoz, and is particularly famous for his stylised craquelier pieces.
Cortendorf
A ceramics company famous for wall masks and statues.
Costa, Joaquin
Born in Italy and exhibited there and in France in the early 1920’s. Worked 1905-1935.
Cotswold School (1893 – mid 1930’s)
A loose association of English furniture makers, located first at Pinbury and then at Sapperton in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire led by Ernest Gimson and the Barnsley brothers (Sydney and Ernest). They attempted to unite the traditional rural craftsmanship with the handcrafting principles advocated by the Arts & Crafts movement.
CROUZAT, Georges – (1904 – 1976)
French medallist, pupil of Landowski and Dropsy. Studied at Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris.
Dage, Louis (1878 – 1963)
Parisian ceramist active between 1920 – 1930, producing Art Deco ceramic items. Often worked in conjunction with Andre Villien, the metal artist – producing stunning ceramic and bronze clad items.
Dakon, Stefan – (1904 – 1992)
Stephan Dakon was born in Vienna 14th Nov 1904 and was a freelance sculptor and ceramist, famous mainly for his sculptural work in the production of deco female dancers. His work was very similar to that of Lorenzl and at one time it was believed that Dakon and Lorenzl were one and the same artist, we now know otherwise. It is however apparent that they worked together at Goldscheider.
After finishing school, he attended a school for sculptors and then served an apprenticeship at the bronze foundry in the Vienna Arsenal. Whilst there he made the acquaintance of Josef Lorenzl who later became a fellow colleague at Goldscheider in Vienna. It was on Lorenzl’s recommendation that Dakon was employed by Goldscheider in 1924 as a freelance designer.
He took up military service in Finland and Norway during the second world war and was interned as a prisoner. On his return to Austria he took up where he had left off and did similar works for the American Goldscheider Corporation in Trenton, New Jersey and also worked for Adolf Prischl and William Goebel.
From 1945 he also worked for Keramos Wiener Kunstkeramik, who produced ceramics and porcelain items. Dakon’s work is now highly sought after by collectors world wide and he is considered to have been a prolific and versatile artist. His work is of exceptional quality and he is not only famous for his statuary work but he was undoubtedly one of the most important designers of ceramic wall masks and figurines.
D’Aste Joseph
Italian Born artist who exhibited at Salons in Italy and France during the 1920’s. Worked mainly in portrait and figural sculptures.
D’Avesn, Pierre (1901 – 1984)
The pseudonym used by Pierre Gire. Born in 1901 in France. Top quality glass maker of the Art Deco period. He worked for Rene Lalique for ten years from the young age of 14. He is famous for designing the Lalique serpent vase and the Tourbillons vase which are now probably the most sought after and highly priced Lalique items.
In 1926 he left Lalique and created his own pieces which were produced by Cristallerie de Saint-Remy. In 1930 Daum asked him to work for his subsidiary company, Verrier D’Art Lorrain, in charge of their moulded glass section in Croismare France. He worked there until 1936. In 1937 he was the manager of Verlys glass until the war in 1940. From 1940 he worked with Cristallerie de Choisy-le-Roi (Sevres).
His name has to be treated with the same respect as Lalique and Sabino and his pieces are now highly sought after because of the quality and design. Also designed scent bottles for D’orsay.
Daum, Auguste (1953 – 1909)
A French man who formed a glass company famous for its glass decorating techniques which were similar to those used by their neighbouring company of Galle. Auguste, the founder of the company was later joined by his two sons in the business – Lois Auguste and Jean Antonin who carried on the company. The company is still working today.
Daum, Jean
Father of the famous Daum brothers was originally a solicitor not a glass maker. He took over a glassworks near Nancy, France, in 1878 as part payment of a debt. His son Auguste (who had been trained as a lawyer) joined him shortly afterwards, to help improve the business. More than a decade later, and some five years after their father had died, the younger brother Antonin (a newly trained engineer) joined him. It was their business and creative skills which made the Verrerie de Nancy a success. The company originally specialised in watch glasses, window glass, and glassware for taverns.
They exhibited their tableware at the Paris Exhibition of 1889, it was here that Auguste and Antoni were impressed and influenced by the art glass work of Emile Galle. They started with enamelled and engraving and from there they moved on to become one of the major forces in the art nouveau movement, seriously rivalling Galle. When Galle died in 1904 they became the leaders. At the beginning of 1900 Paul Daum ( son of the famous Auguste Daum ) started his own glass atelier under the name Leune ‘Societe Anonyme des Etablissements’. Between 1923 and 1926 Auguste-Claude Heiligstein started as art director at the atelier. The family firm ‘Daum Freres & Cie’ produced the glass models for the firm Leune. All the models where designed and decorated by Auguste-Claude Heiligstein even the pressed decorated ones. At the beginning of the 1930’s the firm closed.
Dauvergne, J.
French artist worked mainly in spelter (white metal) during the 1920’s – 1930’s. Famous for his Dianne and Ibex and The Hoop Lady.
(DAX) Edouard Cazaux, (1889 – 1974)
Used the pseudonym ‘DAX’. Began his career in Paris in 1907 in the family workshop and studied design at night school. In 1912 after finishing three years military training at Mont-de-Marsan, he won a scholarship to the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts and went on to study sculpture and ceramics. A prolific producer of earthenware pieces of all sizes, by the time he reached his early 30’s he had become internationally recognised.
De Coene Freres
Belgian Furniture Company. Originally inspired by the ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement and Wiener Werkstatte. The De Coene brothers – Joseph and Adolphe set up their own workshop in Kortrijk in Belgium around 1908. The family run business soon evolved into an all encompassing interior business. They began with 15 employees and by 1922 there were 1500 workers. Twenty different disciplines were practiced under the one factory roof. Art Deco became a fact before it was even known to exist, reflected in the innovative designs of the De Coene factory. They imported exotic woods from The Congo in a large scale. The extravagant designs of the earlier years were replaced with more modernist designs which enhanced the visual pleasure of wood and unusual veneers.
Many top artists and designers worked with the De Coene company and Joseph was close friends with many of them, architects such as Michel Polak, Jean Baptiste Dewin Henry van de Velde and Jan-Albert de Bondt. During the invasion in May 1940 the factory was hit heavily by German bombs and later in 1944 by British bombs. After the liberation Joseph De Coene and other company heads were sentenced to imprisonment for economic collaboration with Germans in providing them with barracks and furniture in order to avoid excessive commandeering of their staff. Joseph was sentenced to 20 years hard labour and died a broken man in 1950. The De Coene company was returned to the De Coene family in 1952, when the company went into partnership with Knoll.
Delabrierre, Paul Edouard (1829 – 1912)
Born in Paris and died there in 1912. Animalier sculptor and artist, made his debut at the Salon 1848, exhibiting there regularly until 1882. He exhibited a wide range of animals including hunting dogs, race horses, game birds and wild animals, including bears, tigers, lions, antelope and camels. His works were famous for their characterisation, realism and exceptional quality. Of his larger statues the most famous was L’Equetation which was produced for the facia of the Louvre in Paris in 1875.
Delagrange, Leon Noel (Orleans 1872 – Croix d’Hins 1910)
A French artist who studied under Barrias, he exhibited at the salon of the society of artists from 1894 – 1907. He is also famous as an aviator and was president of the aero club France. He stopped working on statues in 1909 and he died in 1910 when he had an accident in his mono plane.
Delatte, Andre
Worked Jarville, Nancy, France (1921 – c 1930). Famous for his top quality glass wares considered on par with the top deco glass makers like Daum, Lalique, Muller, Sabino and Leunne. Specialising in thick, top quality glass items which were sand blasted, acid etched and usually heavily hand enamelled. Signed pieces Dalatte and sometimes Jarvil.
Delaunay, Sonia (1885 – 1979)
An abstract artist and key figure in the Parisian avant-garde. Famous for her geometric and bolt coloured modernist Art Deco designs. Alongside her husband, Robert Delaunay, she pioneered the movement Simultanism. Her exploration of the interaction between colours has created a sense of depth and movement throughout her oeuvre.
She was born Sonia Illinitchna Stern to a Jewish Ukrainian family. At the age of seven she went to live with her comparatively wealthy uncle Henri Terk and his wife, Anna, in St Petersburg, Russia. The Terk’s offered her a privileged and cultured upbringing in St Petersburg. Nevertheless, her childhood memories of Ukraine remained with her and she often referred back to the ‘pure’ colour and bright costumes of the Ukrainian peasant weddings.
Delaunay’s creativity expanded beyond painting to include many other outlets such as Casa Sonia, an interiors and fashion boutique that she set up 1918; The entire set and costume design of Tristan Tzara’s 1923 play Le Coeur a Gaz; An illustration for the cover of Vogue in 1926; Costumes for the films Le Vertige directed by Marcel L’Herbier and Le p’tit Parigot, directed by Rene Le Somptier; Furniture for the set of the 1929 film Parce que je t’aime, and her textiles label Tissus Delaunay,
De La Vellee, Georges
Another sculptor who had his work produced by the Le Verrier foundry in the 1930’s.
De LaTour
Amelia Cate De LaTour, born in Scotland and studied at the Bournmouth School of Art, the Central School of Art and the central School of Arts and Crafts. She settled in Bournemouth where she worked during the 1920’s as a painter and sculptor of mainly animal subjects. She exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Salon des Artistes Francais and many leading British Galleries.
De Marco
Along with the Le Verrier family I now believe that De Marco was not an artist, we believe that the term de Marco was used by the Le Verrier foundry to denote the marriage of two artist. In the group Atalanta which is signed de Marco, the Diana statue was designed by Marcel Bouraine while the leaping deer used in the group was designed by Max Le Verrier.
I have proof that the Diana was designed by Bouraine and sold to the Le Verrier foundry as I own the original letter of proprietary signed by Marcel Bouraine and confirming the sale of the statue to theLe Verrier Atelier.
Debry, Sophie
She exhibited at the Salon Paris 1920’s.
Decoux, Michel (1837 – 1924)
Belgian artist mostly designed stylised animals mainly in bronze, but some spelter pieces. Panthers being the most usual subjects were extremely streamlined and often silvered bronze.
He produced a few human statues but concentrated mainly on animal subjects during the early art deco period. His work was of exceptional quality and his statues were also used to decorate many art deco clocks.
I personally love most Decoux pieces and I would put his work on par with the work of Lavroff – although he is not as well known.
If any one reading this has any more information about Decoux or indeed any of the other artists please share it with me and the viewers of my website.
Degue – Degue Art Glass
Founded by David Gueron, a Turkish Soldier and soldier of the French Foreign Legion. The company was originally called Cristalleries De Compiegne and produced various household glass items. The name changed to Verrerie D’Art Degue in 1926, producing stunning Modernist glass ware items including vases, and many ceiling lamps and table lamps. Degue had a show room at 41 rue de Paris. The work produced by the Degue company is now highly sought after worldwide and renowned for the excellent quality. Guéron employed the ceramist and designer Edouard Cazaux as his artistic director and head designer. In 1936 production stopped and the company finally closed down in 1939 due to the war.
Delabrierre, Paul Edouard (1829 – 1912)
French sculptural artist born in Paris specialising in animal sculptures. He produced hunting dogs, race horses, game birds and exotic zoo animals such as lions, tigers camels and bears. Most being sand cast in bronze. His most famous work is the large group entitled L’Equitation which he produced for the face of the Louvre in Paris in 1875.
Delamarre, Raymond (1890 – 1986)
Considered as one of the ‘new breed’ of French sculptor-medallists (along with Annette Landry, Albert Pommier, Georges Guiraud and many others). Considered as a master in his art. Even though accomplishing a very wide array of medals, one of his best known pieces is the Art Deco-style Compagnie Generale Transatlantique medal for the ship Ville D’Algers in 1935.
An apprentice of his own father, a highly regarded engraver and chiseller (stone sculptor). Worked with Rodin. Won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1919. His early work focused on creating monumental sculptures. Won the Gold Medal at the 1925 Exposition des Arts Decoratifs. Received the Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur.
Delapchier, Louise
Born in France, exhibited at salons 1904 – late 1920’s.
Delaunay, Paul
Paul Delaunay, born 1883 in Paris, studied in France and emigrated to the USA. Became a member of the American Artist Professional League and Director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama. Famous for sculpting monuments and memorials, genre figures and portraits.
Delannoy, Maurice
Born in Paris 1885, received several medals from the Salon during the 1920’s – 1930’s.
Delannoy, Pierre Francois Fernand
Born in Paris, exhibited at the Paris salons during 1920’s, and received ah honourable mention for his work.
Demeyere
Belgian company founded in 1909 and working during the deco years and still working today. During the early 1930’s they produced the fabulous tubular chrome and bakelite items such as the smokers stands, tables, umbrella stands, planters, and coat racks and stands. Many of which can be seen on my website and in the Design Museum in Gent, Belgium. In November 2009 the Gent Design Museum staged an exhibition of the company’s work. The company is still running today and now produces metal table and cookware items.
Denis
French artist, work produced mainly by the Le Verrier foundry in Paris. Famous for his Scarf Dancer and Ball Dancer.
Derby, Sophie
French artist exhibited at the Salon during the 1920’s.
Derenne
Pieces signed Derenne were produced by the Le Verrier foundry in Paris during the deco years, and Derenne was a pseudonym used by Marcel Bouraine. It would appear that it was not unusual for sculptors to use pseudonyms. Bouraine used the two pseudonyms – Derenne and Briand.
Descomps, Jean
Worked and exhibited at the Paris Salons during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Descomps, Joseph (Joe). (Clermont-Ferrand 1869 – Paris – 1950)
French Sculptor, born Joseph Emmanuel Descomps – Cormier in Clermont-Ferrand on the 18th January 1869. Studied under Hiollin and exhibited in Paris at the Salon des Artists, he won medals in 1921, 1925 and 1928.
He also exhibited at the Salon d’Automne and the Tuileries. He specialised in figural statues of the art nouveau and deco period, mainly ladies. Signed his name – Joe Descomps and sometimes signed Joseph Cormier but mainly on his ceramic studies.
He worked in many mediums, bronze, ceramic, bronze and ivory. Most of his bronzes were produced by the Etling et Cie and the barbienne foundries.
He exhibited the statue Femme au lotus in the vestibule at the Paris exhibition of 1925. Joe Descomps used at least 3 pseudonyms: Jean Descomps, J. D. Guirande and Cormier on his ceramic pieces.
De Viggo – See Menneville.
Dieupart, Henri Germain Étienne (1888 – 1980)
The Paris born sculptor was a pupil of Jean-Antoine Injalbert (1845-1933) and Paul Auban (1869-1945). Henri Dieupart is known for his artwork, sculptures in stone, bronze and other media, and with the creation of the artwork ‘Le Printemps’, depicting a naked woman located at square du Dr Drancher, rue Sorbier in Paris which was created in 1928.
He also made several monuments and from 1920 he worked with the glass makers Simonet Frères as a designer for their lamps and clocks and designed a number of prestigious vases for special exhibitions, such as the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs and the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs 1925 in Paris.
Their art deco glassware – made by Cristallerie de Choisy-le Roi regularly won prizes and the style of the vases is compared to the work of René Lalique or Marius Sabino.
Diey, Yves (1892 – 1984)
Born in Paris in 1882 and worked during the early 20th century. He participated in the Salon des Artistes Francais and won a silver medal in 1942. Diey was famous as a painter of nudes and portraits of women, and also typical Spanish and Moroccan scenes. Although there is little biographical information on the artist, he is well known to French art dealers by virtue of the fact that he was extremely prolific and his works were generally of very high quality.
Diligent, Raphael (1884 – 1964)
Sculptural artist, mainly in bronze & mainly animalier statues. Some of his statues were produced by the Le Verrier Foundry in the early 1930’s.
Douglas, Jon
An English wall mask producer worked mainly in plaster. Many of his wall masks were designed as Hollywood movie stars.
Drouot Edouard (1859 – 1945)
A French sculptor, he was born in Sommevoire (Haute – Marne), on 3rd April 1859. Studied in Paris under Mathurin Moreau and Emile Thomas. He won a third class medal at the Salon of 1892 (where exhibited from 1889).
He also received an Honourable mention at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 for his work entitled L’Amateur, a life size marble submitted to the Paris Salon in 1893. He specialised in sports and hunting scenes, Eastern subjects, and mythological subjects such of pan and other nymph type statues. His pieces tend to lean towards the fluid lines of the Nouveau period and have lots of movement to them.
He is considered by many to have been a genius and his pieces are highly sought after by collectors and museums worldwide.
Dubois, Antoine (1869 – 1949)
Belgian ceramics artist. He was a Ceramist was from Mons Belgium and one of the founders of the Mons Pottery. Most of his work is from the 1920s – 1930s. He is known for his geometric lines and bold colours.
Dupas, Jean Théodore (1882 -1964)
Jean Dupas was a famous French painter and artist who worked during the art nouveau and deco years. He worked for fashion magazines like Vogue and Harpers Bazaar and designed a catalogue for the fur company Max.
A student of Ecole des beaux arts in Bordeaux and Ecole superieure des beaux-arts Paris. He worked in the studio of Gabriel Ferrier. Working in a Neo classical personal style he won many awards. He worked on many designs for Sevre ceramics company.
In 1925 he exhibited his famous painting – Les Perruchesto at the International exhibition of decorative arts in Paris. He created monuments in France and he collaborated in the decoration of many ocean liners such as the “Île-de-France” and the “Liberté” with Alfred Janniot and Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann.
Including for the Normandie large lounge, he painted 400 square meters of frosted glass paintings.
During the 1930s, Dupas was commissioned by Frank Pick to produce the artwork for a series of posters for the underground network of London Rail.
Dupas expressed his predilection for large-scale projects: “The greater is my work, the happier I am.” He became a member of the Academie des Beaux-Arts in 1941.
He died in Paris in 1964.
Duvernnet, Georges (1870 – 1955)
French artist who produced statues in spelter, bronze and bronze and ivory.
Ebena
The company of Ebena produced pieces in its factory in Wynegham, Belgium and worked from 1921 – 1931. It produced articles it described as ‘Articles de Fantaisie et articles industriels en matiere moulee’. This is the title of the Book on Ebena, produced by the Kunst Museum Dusseldorf (made in 1987).
Items that included lamp bases, ashtrays, radios, urns, clocks, light pulls, necklaces, humidors and boxes were made of an early galalith-bakelite material. It was squashed in to the moulds using gold and silver leaf which added a stunning glitter to the pieces.
Most of the boxes and lamps tend to have a figural finial handle, often in the form of Pierrot, Egyptian cats, and Buddha’s, deco ladies and tassels.
Ebena does tend to fade with age but you can usually see the amazing original colours inside where it has not been exposed to too much light. They are still stunning pieces that are collected world wide. You will find several pieces on my websites.
Erphila Ceramics
American ceramics company famous for its wall masks. Often marked with reverse E and R letters standing for Ebeling & Reuss who founded the Erphila Company in Philadelphia, PA during the art deco years.
Erte, Roman de Tirtoff (1892 – 1990)
Renown for his fashion Art Deco designs for theatre and magazines etc. Erte defined it as the fusion of the curvilinear designs of Art Nouveau of the 19th Century with the Cubist, Constructivist, and geometrical designs of modernity. He was also influenced by Persian miniatures and would often use a brush with a single hair to complete his gouache paintings.
His imagination was limitless, and Erte designed costumes, stage sets, jewellery, art objects, sculpture and ceramics.
Unlike many artists who work freely before a canvas or sketchpad, Erte developed his own unique process: he would visualise the entire work of art in his mind until it was complete in every detail, and then create the work from his ‘mind’s eye.’
Erte is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Etling – Edmond Laurent Etling
La Societe Anonyme Edmond Etling was founded in 1909, at his foundry he produced top quality ornamental items, where you could buy the most exclusive art objects of that time including bronze, and bronze and ivory statues, ceramics and glass.
The glass pieces were usually made for Etling at the Choisy-le-Roi glassworks. He opened a shop in Paris at 29 Rue de Paradis. Here he sold his wares which were designed by top freelance designers of the deco period like Alliott, Alonzo, Chiparus, Gazan, Bel, Guiraud-Riviere, Descompe, Godard, Pierre Le Faguays, A. Godard, Auroroe Onue, Claire-Jean Roberte Colinet, Lucille Sevin and her husband Jean Theodore Delabasse, Gazan, Georges Beal and Marcel Guillard.
These artisans were all leading members of the French modern art movement of that time and by creating ideal circumstances for them, Etling played a significant role in the style, which later became known as Art-Deco. Etling pieces are famous for their innovative design and quality and are today highly sought after. Their entire output was produced during the Art Deco period as the company did not survive the second world war.
Etling items are now highly sought after.
Evolution
French dinanderie company worked with Paul Louis Mergier (1891 – 1986). Produced metal dinanderie items in copper, silver and enamel. Mainly vases but some other items like bowls and chargers etc.
Fanny Rozet (1881-1921), French Art Deco sculptor and also an important member of the ‘Evolution Group’ in Paris, who is believed to have used the pseudonym of ‘Fanrose’.