French Majolica Palissy Dish, Longchamp

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Longchamp's Wild Majolica Menagerie:
French Majolica Palissy Dish

Maker: Longchamp Pottery, France
Date: Circa 1880
Medium: Earthenware, multi-colored lead glazes … Read more Longchamp's Wild Majolica Menagerie:
French Majolica Palissy Dish

Maker: Longchamp Pottery, France
Date: Circa 1880
Medium: Earthenware, multi-colored lead glazes (Majolica/Barbotine)

This spectacular oval dish is a testament to the late 19th-century revival of the Palissy ware tradition, here executed by the renowned Longchamp factory in the vibrant medium of Majolica.

Palissy ware refers to the highly distinctive, naturalistic ceramic style pioneered in the 16th century by the French Huguenot potter Bernard Palissy (c. 1510–1589/90). Palissy's original "rustic figulines" were famous for their trompe-l'œil (deceive the eye) depictions of aquatic and reptilian life—fish, snakes, frogs, lizards, and shells—cast in high relief and given brilliant, colored lead glazes.

The 19th-century Neo-Palissy movement, peaking around the 1880s, reinterpreted this unique style with a Victorian flair. Factories like Longchamp (and others, such as Sarreguemines and Minton) produced large, decorative pieces that catered to the era's taste for naturalism, exoticism, and richly glazed ceramics.

The Dish:

Trompe-l'œil Realism: The dish is a stunning example of this trompe-l'œil approach. It transforms a simple serving vessel into a three-dimensional diorama of a freshwater scene. The central elements—a prominent fish (likely a red gurnard, or similar species), a coiled snake/eel, several smaller eels/fish, two large crayfish/lobsters, and two frogs—are all modeled in bold, life-like relief, appearing to swim or crawl amongst the stylized water, shells, and aquatic vegetation.

Majolica Glazes: The piece utilizes the rich, translucent, and highly colorful lead glazes characteristic of Majolica (or Barbotine in the French context). The striking variation in color—the earthy greens of the foliage, the dark, glossy black/brown of the snake, the speckled green of the frogs, and the pale, sandy tones of the shells—adds depth and drama to the composition.

Longchamp Signature: Established in 1867, the Longchamp factory was known for its high-quality ornamental wares, often employing the Majolica technique. This particular dish, with its exuberant modeling and vivid coloring, represents the zenith of their Neo-Palissy production, designed more for dramatic wall display than for everyday use. It is a bold, theatrical piece reflecting the exuberance of late 19th-century French decorative arts.

Dimensions: 15 3/4 inches wide x 11 inches deep x 1 3/4 inches high

Mark: Impressed oval Longchamp/Terre/De Fer.

Provenance: Private Delaware Collection
With Charles Washburne Antiques (old paper sales label on reverse).

Katz, Marshall P., and Lehr, Robert. Palissy Ware: Nineteenth-Century French Ceramists from Avisseau to Renoleau. London: The Athlone Press, 1996.

Relevance: This is considered the standard reference work on the 19th-century revival of Bernard Palissy's style. It covers all major French makers of Neo-Palissy or Palissy-style Majolica (Barbotine), which includes the prominent factories and individual artists who produced these detailed, trompe-l'œil plates and dishes. The Longchamp factory would be covered within this broader context of regional French majolica production.
ISBN-10: 0485114976

For a broader understanding of the medium and the factory:

Ramsay, Ronald G. Longchamp, 1867-1939: The Art Pottery and the Influence of Art Nouveau. Paris: Private Publication, 2005

(Ref: VM98779) See less