French Majolica Palissy Dish Frogs Amongst Lilies, Léon Brard

Details

Description

Léon Brard's Midnight Pond Plate

French Majolica Palissy Dish, "Frogs Amongst Lilies"
Artist/Maker: Léon Brard (French, active late 19th century)
… Read more Léon Brard's Midnight Pond Plate

French Majolica Palissy Dish, "Frogs Amongst Lilies"
Artist/Maker: Léon Brard (French, active late 19th century)
Date: Circa 1890

Medium: Earthenware, high-relief modeling, multi-colored lead glazes (Majolica/Barbotine)

Dimensions: 12 3/4 inches (Diameter) × 2 inches (Height)

Master of the Neo-Palissy Grotto
This dark, evocative plate is a superb example of the Neo-Palissy style, created by one of its most accomplished independent practitioners, Léon Brard. Unlike the factory-produced pieces of Longchamp (like the previous dish), Brard belonged to the "School of Tours" ceramists—a group based in the Loire Valley region (including Charles Avisseau and Thomas Sergent) who were particularly dedicated to the meticulous, hand-finished revival of Bernard Palissy’s (d. 1590) 16th-century rustic ware.

Details and Composition
The Subject: The circular dish captures a nocturnal, stagnant pond scene. A large, central frog is positioned amidst lily pads and small white flowers, surrounded by richly modeled, deeply veined aquatic leaves. Three smaller frogs or toads are tucked into the foliage around the rim, contributing to the unsettling trompe-l'œil effect. Scattered seashells and snails are embedded in the periphery, emphasizing the naturalistic clutter of a freshwater environment.

Glazing Technique: Brard's genius lies in his powerful command of the Majolica (or French Barbotine) glazes. The plate features a dramatically dark, almost midnight-blue and brown ground, which perfectly simulates deep, murky pond water. This dark background causes the high-relief elements—the vivid green and yellow-tipped leaves, the shiny, speckled green of the frogs, and the pale shells—to pop with startling realism. The glossy, pooled glazes give the piece a wet, glistening appearance, enhancing the illusion.

The Maker's Mark: The dish is stamped on the reverse with the impressed Brard mark, typically consisting of a medallion and monograms within an oval. Brard’s work is characterized by its high quality, strong relief, and preference for dark, rich backgrounds, setting it apart from the lighter, more mass-produced Majolica of his contemporaries. Pieces by Brard are highly sought after as they represent the highest echelon of the 19th-century ceramic art revival.

Reference Sources
Katz, Marshall P., and Lehr, Robert. Palissy Ware: Nineteenth-Century French Ceramists from Avisseau to Renoleau. London: The Athlone Press, 1996. (Pages dedicated to Léon Brard and the "School of Tours" ceramists.)

Picard, Jean-François. Majolique: Art de la faïence décorative au XIXe siècle en France. Paris: Éditions de l'Amateur, 1999. (A key reference for French Barbotine and Majolica, detailing the artistic differences between the School of Tours and the factory production.)

Amico, Leonard N. Bernard Palissy: In Search of Earthly Paradise. New York: Flammarion, 1996. (Provides context on the 16th-century precedent for the style, explaining the trompe-l'œil and naturalistic modeling techniques revived by Brard.)

(Ref: VM98780) See less