Charles Greber and Art Nouveau
I had to wrest this Charles Greber Art Nouveau jardinière from the “homme de ma vie” He thought it would make a good receptacle for storing his hazelnuts. Well, it has been a bumper year for hazelnuts this year, but even so…
It’s a stupendous piece of French Art Nouveau stoneware pottery. It’s from the early 1900s, around the time when Hector Guimard’s flamboyant Metro entrances were appearing all over Paris, giving the city a daring new look.
Charles Greber (1853-1935), the most famous of the Beauvais pottery dynasty, was an early adopter of Art Nouveau. When he wasn’t busy designing architectural features for facades and interiors, he produced Art Nouveau stoneware pottery pieces like this. With its graceful, curvy lines and inspiration from nature – those lovely, ferny handles! – this jardinière is Art Nouveau to a tee. The muted flambé glaze is a Greber speciality. It’s in perfect condition and available to buy in my shop. Without the hazelnuts – they’ve found another home.
