Offered by Subert
Maiolica flower pots “a mezzaluna”
Samson & Fils Factory
Montreuil-sous-Bois, France, late 19th century
They measure 4.72 in in height x 8.66 x 5.03 (12 cm x 22 x 12,8)
Weight: 1.88 lb each (856 g)
State of conservation: intact with slight chipping due to use in relief parts
A rare example of a flower pot “a mezzaluna” produced by the manufactory of Samson around the end of the 18th century. This is demonstrated by the small double S signature placed next to the writing “Sceaux” in italics under the base and flanked by the decorative number “5”.
The maiolica is decorated with a rocaille relief to adorn the edges. The upper part is perforated in a radial pattern to contain and support the flowers. This mold, which was also produced with a different morphology in France, is consistent with that used by the Milanese factories of the eighteenth century (for comparisons see the planters of the Castello Sforzesco Museum in Milan, R. Ausenda, a cura di, Musei e Gallerie di Milano. Museo d’Arti Applicate. Le ceramiche. Tomo secondo, Milano 2001, pp. 425, nn. 409 e n. 41).
The decoration shows, in the center of the vase, two bouquets which occupy the main part of the semicircle and which are accompanied by small bunches of rosebuds and minor florets rendered in full polychrome. The floral bouquets, in which the purple color predominates, stand out from the usual compositions since they resemble, in terms of decorative taste, the products of contemporary European porcelain manufactories, including that of Sceaux.
Careful observation of the vases, which bear, as mentioned above, the brand of the "Sceaux" manufacture, therefore reveals an inconsistency: the shape is typical of eighteenth-century manufactures in Milan, in particular that of Pasquale Rubati, but the main brand and the decoration are consistent with the works of French manufacturing. The explanation is provided by the presence of the small brand, associated with the previous one, in which the characteristic double "S" mark of the great nineteenth-century French ceramist Emile Samson (1837-1913) appears, certifying its paternity. Therefore, not only are the pair of maiolica flower pots the work of Samson, but they document the presence in his manufacture of 18th century Milanese works, which, as in this case, were mistaken for artefacts from the Sceaux factory. Another similar case among the Samson manufactory collections of the Castello Sforzesco Museum in Milan had already been recognized by scholars (R. Ausenda, op. cit, p. 326): a tureen similar to Milanese productions had been found.
The two flower pots therefore constitute a fixed point in the history of Emile Samson's manufacturing studies after 1891, attesting to the creative methods of his production lines and providing important information which identify his sources of inspiration.
The Samson "Porcelain, maiolica and terracotta factory" began its activity with Edmé Samson (1810-1891), a ceramic decorator, who opened his own factory in 1845 at number 7 rue Vendôme in Paris. His business lasted for four generations: their creations perfectly document the taste of the times, as well as demonstrate how much the attraction to the styles of previous periods - especially that of the 18th century - influenced the 19th and early 20th centuries. The factory was constantly busy and followed all sorts of clients. It produced ceramics ranging from maiolica and porcelain to earthenware, and in a variety of styles including that of the Renaissance and Spain, as well as Saxony and the Far East. Indeed, the production represents a perfect example of the advent of Historicism.
Emile (1837-1913) worked alongside and then succeeded his father Edmé, in making reproductions of old porcelains. These were all judged to be of excellent quality at the major exhibitions of the time, including the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. It was also at that moment that the manufacture, which had become Samson & Cie, moved to Montreuil-sous-Bois, near Paris, and increased its production volumes. Further recognition came during the Universal Exhibition of 1889, especially thanks to the creation of large-scale works of both maiolica and porcelain: his models came from the largest French and foreign museums, such as the Louvre Museum or the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Emile in 1891, with his son Léon (1868-1928), continued the business under the name of Samson & Fils, with great success and increased production. The activity then continued for other generations and with new perspectives until at least the 1980s.
Bibliography:
R. Ausenda, a cura di, Musei e Gallerie di Milano. Museo d’Arti Applicate. Le ceramiche. Tomo secondo, Milano 2001;
F. Slitine, Samson, génie de l'imitation, Issy-les-Moulineaux 2002.
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