1950s Mid-Century Modern Ray Camart Vallauris Emerald Green Double-Bulb Pitcher

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Description

Sculptural Free-Form Green Glazed Ceramic Pitcher by Ray Camart (Vallauris / Antibes, c. 1950s) - 27cm / 10.6in - Perfect … Read more Sculptural Free-Form Green Glazed Ceramic Pitcher by Ray Camart (Vallauris / Antibes, c. 1950s) - 27cm / 10.6in - Perfect Condition

At Maisons Rares, every piece is personally curated: beautiful historical objects from famous French designers and manufacturers, and art from the world over.

This highly sculptural pitcher by Ray Camart is a particularly expressive example of post-war French studio ceramics. Its triple-gourd silhouette, dramatically pinched pouring lip, sinuous handle and intense emerald-green glaze give it a presence closer to a small sculpture than to conventional tableware. Across the surface, a pale turquoise-white vermiculated glaze breaks into an intricate organic network, creating exceptional depth and movement.

History & Craftsmanship: Ray Camart, from Vallauris to Antibes
Raymond “Ray” Camart (1908-1980) came from a family of sculptors and initially worked in sculpture and architectural decoration. During the final years of the Second World War he worked at an electroceramics factory in Golfe-Juan, where he designed moulds for ceramic production. Around 1945 he established an atelier in Vallauris, at the heart of the extraordinary post-war revival of ceramics on the Côte d’Azur.
In the early 1950s Camart moved his activity to Antibes, where he created a new workshop and exhibition centre. He exhibited regularly at the Salon de la Céramique in Paris and embraced the period’s ideal of bringing artistic invention into everyday objects. His production ranges from decorated tableware to increasingly free, experimental forms. By the beginning of the 1960s, as the ceramics industry entered a difficult period, he gradually returned to decorative architectural work.

This pitcher belongs convincingly to the freer and more audacious side of Camart’s production. Comparable signed works from the 1950s use similarly experimental silhouettes and richly worked glazes, including the vermiculated enamel effects documented on his ceramics.

Design & Aesthetics: Organic Form and Vermiculated Green Glaze
The form is exceptionally strong. Three swelling volumes rise one above another in a rhythmic, almost anthropomorphic silhouette, tightened by narrow waists. At the top, the neck is compressed and pulled forward into a broad asymmetrical pouring lip. The large handle is deliberately irregular and undulating, reinforcing the hand-modelled, organic character of the piece.
The glaze is the defining feature. A deep emerald to bottle-green ground is overlaid with a dense pale turquoise-white vermiculated pattern that branches, pools and separates across the surface. Rather than a painted motif, the decoration reads as a glaze effect: every passage is irregular and unrepeatable. The glossy finish intensifies the contrast and gives the surface a mineral, almost aquatic appearance.
The combination of biomorphic silhouette and highly active glaze places the pitcher firmly within the experimental language of French Mid-Century ceramics, while remaining unmistakably decorative. Viewed from different angles, its profile changes substantially, making it especially effective as a freestanding sculptural object.

Condition & Authenticity
The pitcher is in perfect condition, free from chips, cracks, hairlines, restorations, marks, or scratches. The glossy glaze remains exceptionally fresh throughout.
The underside bears the handwritten “Ray Camart” signature beneath the glaze. The signature is consistent with documented signatures of Raymond Camart, and the form, construction, and glaze treatment are fully consistent with his known production.
Like all pieces from our collection, this item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Maisons Rares.

Context Design
This is a piece to display as sculpture rather than hide among functional ceramics. Its saturated green works particularly well against warm neutrals, stone, travertine, dark timber, lacquer, or a pale plaster wall. The pitcher can anchor a console, pedestal, mantel or open shelving arrangement and is strong enough to stand alone without flowers.
For a more collected interior, pair it with restrained Mid-Century furniture, natural materials and one or two ceramics of contrasting texture rather than matching color. Its organic silhouette also makes it particularly effective in contemporary-classic and eclectic interiors, where it can introduce both color and an unmistakable handmade presence.

Technical Specifications
• Creator: Raymond “Ray” Camart (1908-1980)
• Period: Circa 1950s
• Origin: France; associated with Camart’s Vallauris / Antibes production
• Material: Glazed ceramic
• Glaze / Decoration: Deep emerald-green glossy glaze with pale turquoise-white vermiculated enamel effect
• Dimensions: Height 27 cm (10.6 in) Width 21 cm (8.3 in) Depth 15 cm (5.9 in)
• Style: French Mid-Century Modern / Vallauris School / Biomorphic / Free-Form
• Condition: Perfect condition; no chips, cracks, hairlines, restorations, marks, or scratches
• Authenticity: Handwritten “Ray Camart” signature under the base. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Maisons Rares See less