An Exceedingly Rare Pair of Monumental Antique French Gros Relief Barbotine Vases by Théodore Lefront, Circa 1875

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–Ceramiques impressionistes & Gres Art Nouveau. Olivier Fanica et Gerard Boue. 2005 Massin Editeur.-

Théodore Lefront (1835-1893) was a leading … Read more –Ceramiques impressionistes & Gres Art Nouveau. Olivier Fanica et Gerard Boue. 2005 Massin Editeur.-

Théodore Lefront (1835-1893) was a leading maker of decorative ceramic pieces during the second half of the 19th century. He started his faience and porcelain workshop in Fontainebleau, France in the year 1860. By 1872, he had expanded his operations and moved to 232 Grande-Rue where he used a six-horse steam engine and employed around 40 workers. He enjoyed great success and was known for producing barbotines consisting of delicate “gros relief” flowers applied to discreetly tinted backgrounds. He would also go on to create vases, cache-pots, and jadinieres without relief and finely painted scenes.

In 1874, Lefront showed his wares at The “Union Centrale des Beaux-Arts les productions de l’ateliers: Faiences d’art et porcelaines, vases, jardinieres, plats, cache-pots, cornets”. In the following year, according to “L’Annuaire Didot-Bottin”, Lefront received 10 gold medals in various exhibitions throughout France. In addition, he was awarded a silver medal at the Agricultural Exhibitions of Melun in 1866 and in 1872, an honorable mention at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1869; a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1878, and finally, a silver medal in Nice, in 1884.

In an article written on October 25, 1878, describing the Fontainbleau objects at the Universal Exhibition, E-M de Lyden wrote “all these products are noted by the fineness of the clay, the purity of the design, and the variety of colors”.

Gros-Relief barbotine vases are usually anywhere from 8 inches to 20 inches in height, with some larger examples measuring up around 24 inches. The vases shown here measure an astounding 41.25 inches high. Their imposing size and rich decoration indicate that they were in all likelihood a special commission or rather created specifically for one of the aforementioned exhibitions in which Lefront could demonstrate his artistic vision, creativity, and technical ability. See less