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Emile Galle












Emile Galle.




Emile Galle   


Initially inspired by historical cameo glass, Emile Galle went on to develop the technique with a unique blend of artistry and technical expertise that made him the supreme master of art Nouveau cameo and the inspiration for many French factories.




Galles rare early cameo vases are masterpieces of precision and manual dexterity.



They were produced using the same techniques that had been used in antiquity, different coloured layers of glass were fused, and the top layer of glass was then hand carved to make the design stand proud.


Emile Galle   



Galle took this basic process several steps further.


He increased the number of colours, sometimes using as many as five.


He eliminated the sharp colours contrasts, preferring to cut away the colours at various levels to create shading, subtle  colour gradations, atmosphere, and prospective.



Foil inclusions, fire polishing, and hammered metal effect technique added extra texture, as did further hand carving of the design, such as leaf vein.
Emile Galle   


From about 1899 Galle began commercial production of art Nouveau cameo, making increasing use of acid etching.




This was employed on Galles standard, are made ranged, cameo pieces, which were consistently high quality but lacked the creative spirit of the pieces uniques that were made either by Galle are one of his master craftsman.
Emile Galle   


After Galles death in 1904, production was streamlined.
The industrial cameo production included large quantities of lamps and vases in simplified shapes and colours.


The majority had two or three players of colour, and the decoration was stencilled on before the peace was acid etched.

Very few had any hand finishing.



Galles furniture design.

Emile Galle   

Galles designs for art Nouveau furniture was inspired and influential as those he created for glass.













Both were informed by his deep love and knowledge of the natural world, his talent for botanical drawing, and his desire to promote naturalism in design.
Emile Galle   


He challenged traditional furniture conventions and construction by treating would as a truly plastic medium, employing curving, organic shapes, such as dragonfly wings, for the basic forms and supports.


Plants, animals, and insects also featured on decorated marquetry, handles, and amounts.


In recent years, there has been an influx of reproduction Galle cameo glass, much of which is work quality.


Emile Galle   
As a rule of thumb if you are thinking about splashing out on one of these fine pieces of glass, I would insist on a written provenance from the seller.



I hope you have found this article on Emile Galle    both informative and helpful, please feel free to peruse my blog for one of my many pages on glass collecting.




Happy hunting from the collectables coach.



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