Namgreb – see Bergman, Franz Xavier
Nijinsky, Vaslav (or Vatslav) (1890 – 1950)
Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterisations. He could perform en pointe, a rare skill among male dancers at the time and his ability to perform seemingly gravity-defying leaps was legendary.
Aged 9 he joined the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg, the pre-eminent ballet school in the world. In 1907 he graduated and became a member of the Imperial ballet starting at the rank of coryphee instead of in the corps de ballet, already taking starring roles.
In 1909 he joined the Ballets Russes, a new ballet company started by Sergei Diaghilev which planned to show Russian ballets in Paris, where productions of the quality staged by the Imperial ballet simply did not exist. Nijinsky became the company’s star male dancer, causing an enormous stir amongst audiences whenever he performed, although in ordinary life he appeared unremarkable and even boring to meet.
Diaghilev and Nijinsky became lovers, and although Nijinsky had unparalleled ability, it was the publicity and opportunity provided by Diaghilev’s company which made him internationally famous.
In 1912 Nijinsky began choreographing his own ballets, including L’apres-midi d’un faune (1912), Jeux (1913), and Till Eulenspiegel (1916). At the premier of Le Sacre du Printemps (1913) fights broke out in the audience between those who loved and hated a totally new style of ballet.
Faune frequently caused controversy because of its sexually suggestive final scene. Jeux was originally conceived as a flirtatious interaction between three males, although Diaghilev insisted it be danced by one male and two females.
In 1913 Nijinsky married Hungarian Romola de Pulszky while on tour with the company in South America. She had seen the Ballets Russes perform in 1912 and thereafter ‘stalked’ the company and Nijinsky. Nonetheless, no one was more surprised than she was when Nijinsky asked her to marry him, in broken French since neither was fluent in the same language. The marriage caused an immediate break with Diaghilev, who dismissed Nijinsky from the company. With no alternative employer available, he attempted to form his own company but this was not a success.
He was interned in Hungary during World War I under house arrest until 1916, finally being allowed to leave after intervention by Diaghilev, who wanted him to perform in an American tour, and supported by calls for his release from Alfonso XIII of Spain and President Wilson at the urging of Otto Kahn.
Nijinsky became increasingly mentally unstable with the stresses of having to manage tours himself and deprived of opportunities to dance, which had always been his total obsession. After a tour of South America in 1917, and due to travel difficulties imposed by the war, the family settled in Switzerland, where his mental condition continued to deteriorate. The rest of his life was spent suffering from mental illness which incapacitated him beyond the ability to dance again in public.
Nannini, Rapheal (1852 – 1925)
Sculptural artist born in Florence Italy and studied at the Academy of fine arts there. Later moved to Paris and produced Art Nouveau and Deco statues which were mainly produced by the Les Neveux, Lehmann and Etling. His Sister Maria Nannini was also a sculptural artist working in Paris during the early 20th century.
Notari, Alexander born Carrara (1899 – 1963)
Born in Tuscany 21 August 1899, Sculptural artist worked in Paris during the art deco years along with other family members including Ulysses Geminiani. He produced statues in bronze, Carrara marble, spelter and terracotta. His most famous piece is probably his spelter cubist Panther. I have this information curtesy of his Grandchild, Jean Notari – thank you.
Noverdy, Jean
French art deco glass ware, worked at Muller Freres in Luneville and later set up his own production company in Dijon.
Odyv
The French company of Odyv produced mainly faience clocks in Vierzon, France, close to Limoges. During the twenties and thirties it produced almost one hundred different models of clocks, signed ODYV, with a very strong Art Deco theme.
After the second world war, it was still producing approximately 35 models, intended especially for the Mediterranean markets. Most of these pieces are of plain colour and usually with richly raised gilding or silvering.
The company was also well known for its production of stylised craquelier figures and vases. The company name was – ODette Mussiet YVonne Berlot (Vierzon) ODYV being and abbreviation of the full name.
Omerth, Georges
Active between 1895 – 1925 a sculptural pupil of Ernst Carrier Belleuse. He produced items in spelter, bronze, bronze and ivory, terracotta and ceramics
Onu, Aurore
Female Rumanian artist working during the deco years later moved to Paris. Companion to Marcel Bouraine and friend and neighbour of Pierre Le Faguays.
She produces many athletic female figures the most famous being Chasing the Hind that was made in several sizes.
Worked in Bronze, bronze and ivory. Most of her pieces were produced by the Lehmann and the Etling foundries.
Orbiols
Gustave Orbiols worked 1890 – 1910. Some of his pieces are viewable in the Berman Bronze books.
Ouline, Alexandre
A Belgian artist, worked between 1918 and 1940, in both bronze and spelter. Produced many male and female statues and busts, and really cute looking panthers. He may also have used the pseudonyms – Oudine and Ondine.
Oury, Oury-Cerf (b. 1889)
Born Valenciennes October 1889, winning many awards, the first received in 1921.
Paris, Roland (1894 – 1945)
Born in Vienna to an artistic German family. Trained under Van de Velde. Served in the first world war and then moved to Berlin to train as sculptor.
He worked in various materials – lithography, wood, painting, bronze and ivory, bronze, ceramic and spelter. His pieces tend to be comical and satyrical.
“Roland Paris does not fall into the usual category of Art Deco decorative works. His art cannot be categorised as decorative nor pleasing to the eye. On the contrary, it is full of criticism of society. He lived and worked in Berlin during the interwar period. Critical of the Fascist era in which he lived, he always cleverly avoided censorship. His subjects were grotesque, vivacious and above all caricaturesque. The media in which he worked – sculpture, paintings, woodcuts, porcelain and prints – were as varied as his subjects – dancers, mayors, judges and kings. However by far his most frequent characters were jokers, jesters and devils. He admired the downtrodden, the underdog and the out-of-place characters. Don Quixote, The Flying Dutchman and the Tale of the Frog Prince are some of the subjects that fascinated him” A quote from the book Roland Paris; The Art Deco Jester King by Alberto Shayo.
Pictures courtesy of the above mentioned book by Alberto Shayo which we highly recommend for any Art Deco fan.
Perl, Karl
Born in Liezon Austria on 3 March 1876. He studied under Hellmar, Zumbusch and Kundmann and worked as a sculptor of figures, busts bas-reliefs and medals and medalions in Vienna. Designed wall masks for Goldscheider and Keramos.
Peleschka, Lunard
worked mainly in bronze and ivory in Austria from 1900 – 1930’s, and it is highly possible that this was a pseudonym used by Ferdinand Preiss.
Petty, George (1894 – 1975)
George Petty was a very famous American pin up artist. Son of a photographer (also George Petty) he lived and studied in Chicago. Studied at the Chicago Art Institute and the Academy Julien in Paris (famous students such as Alfonse Mucha and Matisse).
Petty’s success was mainly due to his talent in using the airbrush technic of painting. His first work was for the Marshall Field catalogue in the 1920’s. He won first prize for his poster for the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1933.
He produced a cartoon for Esquire magazine called the Petty Girl which proved to be very popular and this led to the famous Petty pin up girls and calendars for the same magazine. It seems that Petty became famous almost overnight. He had a falling out with Esquire over money and the commission of pin ups and calendar girls was then taken over by Alberto Varga – known as the Varga girls.
He made a return to Esquire with a new calendar in 1955 and produced a famous calendar for Ridged Tools in 1953. He also designed the car mascot for Nash automobiles in 1954 and 1955.
Perzel, Jean (1892 – 1986)
Interior lighting designer and artist who worked in Paris from about 1910 and was famous for his modernist art deco lighting. In 1923 he started to exhibit at salons, including the Salon D’Autumn, the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs and at many special events in and around Paris. Commissioned for many lighting projects including famous monuments including the Cathedral of Luxembourg and the Mulhouse Train Station. His workshop produced numerous models of chandeliers, floor lamps and sconces in modernist styles. The company is still running today.
Peyre, Rapheal Charles (1872 – 1949)
Born in Paris, studied under Alexandre Falguière, Antonin Mercié and T. Barrau, some of the foremost 19th century sculptors. Exhibited statues and paintings at the Salon des Artistes Francais around the turn of the century, winning an honourable mention in 1894, a third class medal in 1902 and a travelling scholarship in 1903. Famous mainly for his beautiful portrayal of children subjects.
Philippe, Abel
French sculptural artist, working in France during the deco years. Most of his work was produced by the Lehman foundry. Worked mainly in bronze and bronze and ivory. Not to be confused with Paul Philippe who was working at the same time.
Philippe, Paul (1870 – 1930)
Statuary artist – student of Larant and Larroux, his most famous sculpture was ‘Awakening’. Widely exhibited at many of the Paris salons. Many of his pieces were produced by the Goldscheider foundry. Did work with Rosenthal, Goldscheider and Preiss Kessler.
Picaud, Maurice (Pico) (1900 – 1977)
Also signed his name as Maurice Pico or Pico, his real name is Maurice Picaud and he was a French, multi talented architect, designer and painter. He trained at the Ecole Boulle and worked for the Ruhlmann furniture company, and also distinguished himself as a newspaper cartoonist putting his talent to among others, Science and Life, Sports, Auto, Le Matin, etc. Some of his creations, typical of the Art Deco period are visible to all, like the dancing lady facade over the entrance to the Folies Bergeres building in Paris which depicts the dancer Lila Nikolska, who posed for the sculpture, and the murals inside the Hotel de Ville and the Council Chamber of Montdidier (Somme).
I have a separate page with more information about Maurice Picaud and specifically – the Pico Plaques here.
Pillet, Charles Philippe Germain Aristide (1869 – 1960)
Born in Paris, he was pupil to Chaplain and Chapu and received the Grand Prix de Rome in 1890. He exhibited regularly at the Salon of the Societe des Artistes Francais. Famous for producing medals. Pillet exhibited at the Exposition Universelle 1900 in Paris where he was awarded a silver medal. He received a first-class medal in 1905 and the Legion of Honor in 1911. Pillet was awarded a Medal of Honor in 1923.
Pina, Alfredo (1883 – 1966)
Italian artist worked mainly in bronze, semi abstract styling.
Piron, Eugene Desire (1875 – 1928)
French sculptor born in Dijon in 1875 and committed suicide in Aix-en-Provence in 1928. Exhibited at the Salons, won the Prix de Rome in 1903 and a second class medal in 1907. Studied with Barrias and Coutan. Produced mainly portraits and figures.
Podany, Rudolf (1876 – 1963)
Austrian art deco ceramics artist (ceramist) who produced ceramic statues and wall masks. Podany worked with Goldscheider as a freelance designer. Did many wall mask designs for Keramos Wiener Kunsteramik und Porzelanufaktur company in which he was a partner. In his wall mask series many of the models were designed as Hollywood movie stars such as – Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo.
Poertzel, Herman Hugo Otto (1876 – 1963)
German sculptural artist also signed his name Poertzl. Son of a porcelain designer, Otto also did a 3 year course in porcelain design. Afterwards, he studied at the Art Academy in Munich under Prof. E. Kurz and Adolf von Hildebrandt. Participated in numerous international art exhibitions, e.g. St. Louis World’s Fair (1904) and the International Art Exhibition in Brussels (1910). Worked 1910-1930 and produced many of the larger monuments and some of his earlier works can be found in the German Royal Courts, and a few were purchased by the King of Bulgaria. He specialised in female busts (during 1920’s and 1930’s Poertzel was making busts of the aristocracy in Europe). Died in 1963. Poertzel and Ferdinand Preiss shared a studio in Berlin and at one time it was thought that the two were the same person as their work is very similar, and often confused. An honorary title of Professor was bestowed upon him by German State. His most famous pieces are – The Aristocrats,Snake charmer and Columbine and Harlequin. He worked in bronze, bronze and ivory and ceramics.
Preiss, Ferdinand (1882 – 1943)
Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss was born in Erbach (Oderwald) in Germany on the 13th of February 1882. His father owned and ran the local Preiss Hotel, while his mother came from a traditional ivory carving family.
When Ferdinand was fifteen years old his father died, the Hotel was sold, and the six children dispersed among relatives and friends. Ferdinand Preiss moved in with the family of Philipp Willmann (1846 – 1910), a master ivory carver and teacher with whom he went through a thorough apprenticeship, emerging as one of the finest ivory carvers of his generation, and he remained in Willmann’s studio until Easter 1901.
His movements over the next few years are unknown, but by 1905 he appears to have been working for Carl Haebler in Baden-Baden after a period in Milan; AT the Haebler works he met a number of young carvers from Erbach. One co-worker, Arthur Kassler himself a Berliner went into partnership with him and they moved to Berlin, where they opened a small workshop in which they worked as turners and carvers in ivory. The firm was called Preiss and Kassler.
In 1907 Preiss married Margartehe Emma Clara Hilme.
In 1910 the firm took on two new carvers. Louis Kuchler and Ludwig Walther and the firm’s name was shortened to PK.
The earliest compositional figure by Preiss is a statuette of Phryne carved from three different woods in his son’s collection. His early designs were classically inspired Grecian figures certainly part of the tradition received from Willmann, but also part of the taste for copies from the Antique which were then very popular.
Phryne reappeared in bronze and ivory with an onyx or marble base in the company of Aphrodite, Iphigenia, Pomona and others. Another early design was a figure of Carmen. These early figures had the bronze section of the figure cast at the Akt Ges Gladenbeck in Berlin.
Robert Kionsek from the Gladdenbeck foundry joined PK and firm gradually expanded, having about half a dozen workers when war broke out in 1914. When the firm restarted in 1920 after the war, Preiss designed a wide variety of figures; exquisitely graceful ivory nudes, bronze and ivory bathers, dancers, couples children and historical figures.
Preiss figures are the epitome of grace and elegance, the faces pretty, but with character; the costumes colourful but restrained. His series of Olympians have often been equated with the Nazi ideal by the ignorant. In fact these men and women playing tennis, throwing a javelin, holding an oar, playing golf are just health, outdoors types all date from the nineteen-twenties years before Hitler acquired any power.
The Olympic Games that inspired most of these were in France where the Salons had separate and very active sections dealing with the Art of Sport. Preiss most loyal following was in England, and he showed his appreciation by carving a figure of the young Queen Elizabeth (now Elizabeth II).
His skill at ivory carving is exemplified in his figure of St. George and the Dragon as well as in his ivory nudes.
Preiss died in 1943 of a brain tumour. The PK firm did not survive.
“Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss, based in Berlin was the most prolific sculptor of the art deco period in Germany. He combined Ivory, Bronze, Onyx and Marble to create the most dazzling sculptures of his day, accurately reflecting the times. No one in his period surpassed him in the art of ivory carving.” A quote from the book Ferdinand Preiss; Art Deco Sculptor, The Fire and the Flame by Alberto Shayo.
Pictures courtesy of the above mentioned book by Alberto Shayo which we highly recommend for any Art Deco fan.
Primavera
Primavera was the design studio of the Parisian department store Printemps. It was established in 1912 by Rene Guillere and his wife Charlotte. The lavish displays seen in Printemps and in several other ‘Grands Magasins’ in Paris at the time, were driven by the need to capitalise on the growing public interest in contemporary design. Guillere was an Arts Administrator and President of the Society of Artists/Decorators. His wife was a furniture designer. He was the perfect choice to develop this new business. He sourced artists from all over France to discover new talent. He commissioned established designers to create a range of objects for the discerning interior, from Furniture and Bronzes to Ceramics and Glass. Lallemant, Adnet, Marcel Guillemard and Colette Gueden were among those who produced work for the studio. Objects were produced at factories such as Saint Radegonde and Longwy.
Prischl, Adolf (1912 – 1970)
Austrian Sculptor and ceramist. After training at the Viennese Kunstgewerbeschule under Robert Obsieger, he made models for Goldscheider and Keramos Wiener Kunstkeramik as a freelance sculptor. From 1943 to 1946 he was employed by Keramos. After passing his masters exams he establishes his own workshop in Vienna in1947.
Privat
Gilbert Privat born in Toulouse France in 1892. Sculpture of many Monuments in France. Exhibited figures at the Salon des Artistes since 1921. Won the Prix de Rome in 1921.
Prost, Maurice (1894 – 1967)
Born in Paris, an extremely talented artist and sculptor, he specialised in animal figures and groups. Studied under the sculptor Leopold Maurice. An amazing man who lost his arm in the first month of the 1914 war when he was shot and gangrene set in and consequently lost his arm. Previously he had been a jewellery engraver. He did not let his disability effect his work. Most of his work was carried out between 1919 – 1945. Opened his own workshop in 1920 and the following year exhibited at most of the famous Paris salons. In 1926 he started working on monuments around France and he exhibited at Salon des Artistes Francais, and was awarded the Legion d’Honneur in 1933. Throughout his life he won many medals of honour which included in 1947 Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris (Arts Sciences Lettres). In 1957 He was made an officer of the Legion of Honour under Arts. In 1963 – Gold medal Exhibition of French Artists and in 1966 Medal of Honour at the Salon de automne.
Rab, Pol (Paul Abraham) (1898 – 1933)
French artist and cartoonist. Before his untimely death at the age of 35 at Barbizon, he was elected president of the mois de 30 ans, an artistic society for artists under the age of thirty. He was an extremely talented artist and humorous illustrator who created the famous Ric and Rac terriers cartoon series.
Many deco items were produced with the Ric and Rac theme – desk sets, cocktail sticks, cigarette cases, bookends, photo frames, brooches, ashtrays, advertising ornaments for Lux hoovers and even a boot polish.
Pol Rab also created Nenufar which was an African themed cartoon. Paul Brach in 1934, said of him that “all that he did, he did well and with verve. He was a great friend of Jean Cocteau.
He also did designs for theatrical magazines and programmes, bars and restaurants menus which were always very comical and Ric and Rac was very saucy.
I have many brooches of Ric and Rac on my site, along with original period pochoir pictures. Even Lea Stein produced a brooch of Ric the terrier. The photograph of Pol (left), is an original signed photo with Ric and Rac.
Rabier, Benjamin (1864 – 1939)
French sculptor, worked during the deco years and famous for his comical animal designs. He created tableware including cocktail sets, knife rests, cruets, desk-sets and figural items mainly in spelter but also some ceramics.
Real Del Sarte, Maxime (1888 – 1954)
Born Paris may 2nd 1888 and he died there in 1954. Won the Grand Prix Nationale in 1921, specialised in monuments and memorials in the 1920’s. He won medals at the Salon des Artistes Francais in 1920 and 1927 and the Legion of Honneur in 1940. Also famous for a bust of Queen Victoria, and the monument of Joan of Arc at Rouen, and genre and lyrical groups like The Man and his Dream.
Renard, Marcel Claude (b. 1893)
Born in Lyon, 5th August 1893. Son and pupil of Leopold Renard and also with Rost and Boucher. He exhibited at the Salon des Artists Francais, and the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs and won 2nd and 1st class medals in 1925 and 1934 respectively. He specialised mainly in bronze medals, plaques and bas-reliefs.
Rey, Henri-Paul (1904 – 1981)
Henri-Paul Rey was born in Pesmes, France and was a sculptor who worked in stone and wood. He also created a large number of ceramic works. Rey studied at l’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Besancon (1925-1927) under Georges Laithier and Leon Tirode, and studied under Bouchard, Injalbert, and de Villiers at l’Ecole National Superieure des Beaux-Arts (1927-1933) where he learned the valuable techniques that would characterise his original works. Rey knew how to impose his own style right away in his sculptures without years of experience or outside influences. Rey’s work, both bold and aesthetically pleasing, was already appreciated before the war. He exhibited a base relief wood sculpture in the 1937 Paris l’Exposition Internationale at the pavilion de Franche Comte and a similar ‘Tree of Peace’ in the 1939 Exposition in New York. Rey also exhibited regularly in the Salon des Artistes Francais de Paris where he received a gold medal (1937) silver medal (1933) and bronze medal (1932). He was also a member of the jury of the Salon des Arts Decoratifs. His works can be found in museums in France, United States, Canada, and Poland as well as other international institutions.
Rey was a second-generation Cubist. He created works based on music and dance, including some monumental woodcarvings. He worked from stone, but found carving from wood to be more synergistic to complement his emphasis on form and volume. He worked meticulously with thoughtful execution and exuded a certain powerful maternal tenderness in his rounded totems carved from tree trunks. His work expresses emotion and sensibility that is emphasised in the miracle of old wood, brought to life by art. Like many of the earlier Cubists, he incorporated African imagery in his spectacular sculptures. Although Rey’s work can be found internationally, his predilection remains in his home region where we can find monuments such as Saint Ferreol and Saint Ferjeux in the crypt of the Basilique of Monseigneur Dubourg, of Louis Pergaud in Marcheville or the Virgin of Buis in Besancon where the monumental sculpture (7 meters high) integrates religious art at such a splendid site, dominating the town! The magnificent Church of Pesmes, also rich with Rey’s works, also has Saint Hilaire sculpture. Rey is also noted for making busts and medallions of famous writers, painters, Ecclesiastes, politicians, and scientists including Louis Lumiere, Edouard Belin, Louis Guignard, President Jules Grevy, Pontelin, and Cardinal Binet. Rey was also awarded the international prize of Sculpture and was elected a member correspondent (and received a gold medal) of the Academy of Letters and Sciences and Arts of Besancon in 1971. His work was acquired by numerous museums including the Musee de Paris, Dijon, Besancon Poutailier, and Arles.
Rezl, Bohumi (b. 1899)
Born on 17th September 1899 in Czechoslovakia, arrived in Paris in 1926. He settled in Villenauxe (French department of Aube), and worked in the faience factory until 1951. He created ceramic and terracotta figures and clocks often signed B. Rezl. Some of his 1930’s items are on view in Museums in Brussels.
Riboulet, Eugene (1883 – 1972)
French Art Deco artist who produced artwork, and statuary pieces in bisque, metal and ceramics.
Riche, Louis (1877 – 1949)
Born 1877 in Paris France, died 1949. He studied under Gordet and Perrin, and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Francais and the Salondis Independonts. He got a first class medal in 1924 and specialised in animalier and genre groups. Valence Museum exhibits his bronze of a cat waylaying a butterfly.
Right, G (1905 – 1999)
French sculptural artist working during the deco years producing pieces in bronze and bronze and ivory.
Rigual, Pedro Ramon Jose (1863 – 1917)
Born Barcelona, March 19th 1863 of french parents, Francois Rigual and Gertrude Miro. Died April 24th 1917 in Paris where he lived all his life.
Riviere, Guiraud (1881 – 1947)
Maurice Giraud Riviere, born in Toulouse France. became a member of the Salon where he exhibited his works during the 1920’s and 1930’s. At the ager of 15 he was a sailor and at 20 he became and actor. His statuary career started in Paris when he studied at the Paris Ecole Nationale beaux arts where he studied under Antonin Mercie. He exhibited at the Salon of the SAF during the 1920s and 30s. He worked in many mediums, producing paintings and drawings for magazines at that time. His bronzes and bronze and ivory pieces were produced by Etling et Cie, Les Nevaux e J. Lehmann and Adnre Fau. His ceramic pieces were produced by Sevre and he also designed comical pieces for the Robj company. He sold several pieces to the French State for the City of Paris in 1926. This included Enigma, one of his most famous pieces. Other famous pieces which were produced in various sizes were – thoughts, Stella, Nordica and Etoiles.
Rivoire, Raymond Leon (1884 – 1966)
French Art Deco sculptural artist. His most famous statue was ‘Elegante au Levrier’ (see pictures). This same state was made in several sizes and a life size version could be seen in the Grand Salon of the Atlantique ocean liner. Most of his statues were produced by the Susse Freres foundry, Paris.
Rivoire was a student of Injalbert at the Beaux-Arts in Paris and exhibited at the Salon of French artists in 1905. He received a silver medal in 1921 and gold in 1929. He exhibited in France, London, Rome and Buenos Aires.
He also worked on the art competitions at the 1924 Summer Olympics and the 1928 Summer Olympics.
The gold medal won at the salon of 1929 lead to his most important commission and a milestone of the Art Deco era, the colossal marine group ‘The God Neptune drawn by a sea horse’, for the luxurious and stylish French ocean liner SS Normandie launched in 1932. This sculpture was itself a pendant to his work ‘The Goddess Artemis and her greyhound’ commissioned for an earlier French Art Deco ship SS Transatlantique launched in 1925 which was subsequently reproduced as scale editions in bronze in the late 1920s.
He made a bronze for the Normandie liner representing Neptune pulled by a marine horse destroyed in the fire of the ship in New York in 1942 during a refit, a second copy of which survives to the present day as a centrepiece of the fountain adjacent to the Reynaldo Hahn Square in the gardens of the Croisette in Cannes.
Another of his major works is Diana and the Greyhound, also known as Artemis. Like Normandy, a monumental copy of this statue was enthroned in the living room of the ocean liner L’Atlantique. Scattered memories of the work were found during the demolition that followed this fire.
He was appointed knight of the Legion of Honour in 1932 and decorated in 1933 by Jean Gautier of the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts. At the end of his life, he was a boarder at Ris-Orangis, the artists’ retirement home founded by Dranem (Armand Ménard).
Robj
In 1908 Jean Born formed the company of Robj, its main interest was electrical items. In 1916 the company started to produce unusual ceramic items.
Jean died in a car accident in 1922 and the management of the company was taken over by a shareholder – Lucien Willmetz. With the help of many sculptors and technicians Willmetz was the person responsible for the promotion of Robjs unusual and innovative form.
The Robj pieces typified the 1920’s ‘style’ and trend and so were immediately successful. In 1928 the company started production of there most successful line – the liquer decanter bottles known as ‘Flacons Liquers’. Which were modelled as Guradsmen, Napolean, Monks, a black moma, teachers and ladies.
The following year the company then produced similar tobacco pots. Several other ceramics companies were used to produce the Robj pieces and these included – Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, Villeroy & Boch in Luxemburg, several factories in Limoges and a decoration workshop with a muffle furnace in Boulogne-sur-Seine.
Today the company of Villeroy & Boch are reproducing the deco Robj pieces but the quality is not the same as the original pieces.
Rochard, Irenee (1906 – 1984)
Born on January 16th 1906 in Villefranche-sur-Saone (Rhone) to a family of artists. His mother was a painter and his brother was an actor and singer. He died in Paris 1984. French Sculptural artist worked during the Deco years, famous for his wonderful animalier sculptures as he “wanted to pay tribute to animals”, although he did make a few female statues too. Worked mainly in spelter or spelter and ivory, but also made bronzes.
He was a student in the Beaux-Arts and Arts-Deco Schools from 1924 to 1928 and member of the French Artists Society from 1938 onwards. He received his first award when he was just 22 years old and had just left art school, for a full sized Panther statue. He won numerous Prizes and Distinctions from the French Artists Society in the 1930’s and ’40s, including a bronze medal in 1941.
Also some connection with Menneville. (See Menneville for more details). His work was exceptional and is now becoming highly sought after.
Roggia
See Menneville
Rosenthal, Rena
There is not much information about Rena Rosenthal. Many very stylised bronzes are marked RR with the first R in reverse which is the symbol for her pieces. She was not in fact an artist but a shop retailer, who ran a stylish shop in the Waldorf Astoria Building in New York during the 1940s and 50s. She specialised in gift type designer items by Austrian artists like Hagenuer and had certain items created solely for he, putting her name to them. Some of the artists whose items she used were Bosse, and Baller and also Hagenauer made some items exclusively for her. Some of these pieces are marked with both RR and Hagenauer.
Rosenthal, Philip (1855 – 1937)
Opened in Selb, Germany in 1869, by Philip Rosenthal, opened an art section in 1910 and employed over 80 designers, decorators and sculptors, including Gustaf Oppel, Karl Himmeltoss, Constantine Holzer-Defante, Ferdinand Liebermann, Franz Caasmann, Theo Karner, Philip Rosenthal and his son Philip (1916 – ).
Won numerous medals and honours, notably the Gold Medal for its stunning quality porcelain at the Paris World Fair at the beginning of the 20th Century.
Continued making exciting and quality ceramic items until being taken over in 1997 by Hutschenreuther AG, but is still producing quality ceramics under the name Hutschenreuther (Rosenthal Group), in Selb and Speichersdorf.
Roux, Constance (1865 – 1929)
Born in Marseilles and studied under Cavelier and Barrias. Produced busts and historical portraits of Frenchmen. He was awarded numerous medals and awards and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Francais.
Rozet, Fanny (1881 – 9th March 1958)
Born in Paris on June 13th 1881. She she was a French sculptor and produced items in bronze and ceramic.
Fanny Rozet was a member of the Union of Women Painters and Sculptors. That union had to ask for women’s access to the École des beaux-arts (school of fine arts) de Paris, which was reserved only for male artists at the time.
She was the first female sculptor to be accepted into the School in 1896. There she became a student of the sculptor Laurent Marqueste. Marqueste served as a witness to the marriage of Fanny and Albert Philippe in 1916.
Her entrance in the competition for the award of the Prix de Rome in 1905 as a woman did not go beyond a “preparatory examination”.
From 1904, the artist exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris. That same year, she received an honourable mention and in 1923 another honourable mention. In 1924 she received a bronze medal, and in 1926, a silver medal for the applied arts.
Fanrose, possibly a pseudonym used by Fanny Rozet