+ Expand
Notes: Émile Gallé (Nancy, 8 May 1846 - Nancy, 23 September 1904) was a French artist who worked in glass, and is considered to be one of the major forces in the French Art Nouveau movement.
Gallé was the son of a faience and furniture manufacturer and studied philosophy, botany, and drawing in his youth. He later learned glassmaking at Meisenthal and came to work at his father's factory in Nancy following the Franco-Prussian War. His early work was executed using clear glass decorated with enamel, but he soon turned to an original style featuring heavy, opaque glass carved or etched with plant motifs, often in two or more colours as cameo glass. His career took off after his work received praise at the Paris Exhibition of 1878.
Within a decade of another successful showing at the Paris Exhibition of 1889, Gallé had reached international fame and his style, with its emphasis on naturalism and floral motifs, was at the forefront of the emerging Art Nouveau movement. [1]
He continued to incorporate experimental techniques into his work, such as metallic foils and air bubbles, and also revitalized the glass industry by establishing a workshop to mass produce his, and other artists', designs. The factory would employ 300 workers and artisans at its height, including the notable glassmaker Eugène Rosseau, and remained in operation until 1936.
Gallé wrote a book on art entitled Écrits pour l'art 1884-89 ("Writings on Art 1884-89"), which was published posthumously in 1908.[2]
What is less well-known is Gallé's social engagement. He was a convinced humanist, and was involved in organizing evening schools for the working class (l'Université populaire de Nancy). He was treasurer of the Nancy branch of the Ligue Française pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme and in 1898, at great risk for his business, one of the first to become actively involved in the defence of Alfred Dreyfus. He also publicly condemned the Armenian genocide, defended the Romanian Jews and spoke up in defence of the Irish Catholics against Britain, supporting William O'Brien, one of the leaders of the Irish revolt[3] In 1901 he founded École de Nancy,(Alliance Provinciale des Industries d'art) an Art Nouveau movement with, Victor Prouvé, Louis Majorelle, Antonin Daum and Eugène Vallin in the city of Nancy in Lorraine (France).Many of Gallé works are kept at the Musée de l'École de Nancy.
Galle: ~
Emile Galle was and is the dominant figure in French cameo glass and was perhaps the most outstanding person working in glass in the Art Nouveau period. He was student and teacher, worker and director, craftsman and artist. He demonstrated fine skills as botanist, chemist, author, and businessman in addition to those shown in his work with ceramics, furniture, and glass. A man of considerable energy and drive, he researched his problems well and experimented thoroughly. Galle was an innovator. He developed a number of new techniques in glass production and decoration, and improved on a number of others. He we was signed "Galle" or "GR" for Galle and Reinemer, his wife's family name, and stencilled with the name "Saint-Clement." Exposure to his father's work undoubtedly stimulated Emile's interest along these lines. As a young man, Emile Galle attended schools at Nancy and spent much of his spare time in reading and study. He developed a considerable interest in nature, which was a continued inspiration to him. One of his recreations was a walk in the Lorraine countryside, which afforded opportunity for study of the flora and fauna of the area. Plants and insects native to that area served as subjects for decoration of much of his works in later yeas. In 1865 Emile Galle left Nancy and went to study at the art school in Weimar. He then studied glass making at Meisenthal and ceramic work at Saint-Clement, where at both places he had the advantage of his father's guidance.
In 1870 his studies were interrupted by a period of service in the French army for approximately one year during the Franco-Prussian War. In 1871 his father was showing at the "Arts of France" exhibition in London, and Emile's trip with his father afforded an opportunity to study at the South Kensington Museum and the Botanical Gardens there. Shortly thereafter he spent some time studying in Paris. In 1873 Emile's father built a large house, and Emile built a studio and workshop. As early as 1865 Emile made some designs for his father's pottery decoration at Saint-Clement and continued some work for and with his father until Charles Galle retired in 1874 and turned the business over to Emile. In 1875 Emile married, and he and his wife made their home in a section of his father's large house. Emile's wife inherited a mirror shop, which was sold and was never a part of the Galle glassworks. Galle's earlier work in glass was primarily with clear and transparent glass, which was decorated with enamel. In the 1880's he made some clear glass, which contained coloured fragments. He may well have admired and been influenced by the enamel work of Joseph Brocade and the fine quality work in glass of Eugene Rousseau; however, he developed a style which is clearly his own. Galle exhibited in Paris in 1878 with his "Clair de Lune" glass of pale blue colouring his best-received product. In 1884 he exhibited a variety of decorative glass in Paris. Between 1884 and 1889 was a relatively dormant period for Galle as far as glass output was concerned. This was apparently a time of study, research, and development. In 1889 he presented much new work at the Paris exposition, and this was well received and added considerably to his reputation as a maker of fine glass.
It was at this 1889 Paris exposition that he introduced his multilayered glass with surface cutting. His cameo glass was widely acclaimed, and this technique was soon thereafter to be used by other glass manufacturers. Galle continued to make this type glass throughout the remainder of his life, and it is this type glass for which he is best known. Glass inspired by and having quotations from poetry were named "verriere paralante". Scenic pieces, which were first made in the 1890's, he referred to as "paysages de Verre". Other variations in his glass include the incorporation of metallic foils between layers of glass, application of glass to the surface in the form of cabochons, padding or marquetry, combination of streaks and "clouds" of glass within a layer, and decoration with enamels and gold gilt. Because of the complexity of manufacturer, variations in glass colouring, and perhaps some attempt to avoid duplications, it is most unusual to find identical pieces of cameo produced by Galle. He may well have admired and been influenced by the enamel work of Joseph Brocard and the fine quality work in glass of Eugene Rousseau; however, he developed a style which is clearly his own. Galle exhibited in Paris in 1878 with his "Clair de Lune" glass of pale blue colouring his best-received product. In 1884 he exhibited a variety of decorative glass in Paris.
Between 1884 and 1889 was a relatively dormant period for Galle as far as glass output was concerned. This was apparently a time of study, research, and development. Some engravers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries initialled some of their finest works, and a few glass firms put marks on their wares. Galle, however, was the first to put his name on every piece made by him or produced at his factory. Galle apparently enjoyed having his name signed, and he signed the glass in a variety of ways. Before Galle popularised the signing of glass, it was a rarity to find signatures in glass. After Galle's success, many glassmakers started signing their products. During the late 1890's there was increasing demand for Galle's glass, and in 1900 he had about three hundred employees with outlets for his glass in Nancy, Paris, and several major cities in Europe. At the 1900 International Exhibition in Paris, Galle had an outstanding exhibit with many fine pieces of glass and with a working glass furnace in the centre of the display He was highly acclaimed, and this experience was probably the high point of his career. Galle was honoured as the head of the Ecole de Nancy (School of Nancy). Membership in this "school" consisted of a number of men who had achieved prominence in their particular fields, including: Hesteaux, a potter; the Daum brothers, manufacturers of fine glass; Victor Prouve, a painter and artist in other media; Majorelle, the outstanding furniture maker; and others. Galle continued to produce some glass of masterpiece quality into the final year of his life. In September 1904 at the age of 58, Emile Galle died. The Galle glassworks continued in operation at Nancy until 1914 with Emile Lang as manager and Victor Prouve, Galle long-time friend, as family advisor. Production was interrupted during World War I but was resumed at Epinay after the War, where there was continued production until 1935.
After 1904, the factory lacked the inventive genius of Galle and products were those utilising established techniques, mostly acid cut glass on frosted backgrounds. Between 1904 and 1914 a star often preceded the signature of Galle. During this time, however, there were pieces known to bear the name Galle without the star. The star in the signature was apparently not used in the production after 1914.
The quality of the glass produced by the Galle factory after his death, gradually deteriorated and by the time the factory closed, the reputation of Galle glass suffered considerably. Had production stopped at the GaI16 factory with Emile Galle's death, or had the name Galle been dropped from the product at that time, the reputation of Emile Galle would undoubtedly not have suffered so greatly. This dedicated and talented man has left to those who followed an increased knowledge in the use of glass as an art form.
