Vase

Born in Catalonia, Sala moved in 1904 with his family to Paris, where he spent the rest of his life. Trained principally by his glassblower father, he is today considered one of the most talented glass artists of the Art Deco era. From his small atelier on the Left Bank, he produced a range of witty, spontaneous designs that usually incorporate a simple form and applied decorative elements. In contrast to the refined work of his glassmaking contemporaries, Sala’s pieces exploit the textural qualities of malfin glass—a coarse material filled with bubbles and impurities. Sala exhibited his works at the many annual salons of the period, including the Salon d’Automne and the Société des Artistes Décorateurs, as well as at a number of noted Paris galleries such as the Galerie Georges Petit and Rouard. He counted many fine artists among his friends and sometimes cast pieces in glass by the sculptors Antoine Bourdelle and Marcel Sandoz.