Wall plaque with salamander

Designer Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon)

ca. 1895–1897

Not on view

A French chemistry professor-turned-ceramist, Alexander Bigot was a prominent figure in the field of architectural ceramics. Initially inspired by East Asian pottery, Bigot often incorporated lively reliefs of aquatic fauna into his stoneware. On this plaque, a partially submerged lizard emerges from a pool of glaze, and the surface bubbles and froths like mud. Typical of the Art Nouveau style that swept through the Belle Époque period, motif and form blend seamlessly into one – representing both the fascination with nature and the advances in decorative technique of this time.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Wall plaque with salamander
Designer: Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon) (1855–1922)
Maker: Alexandre Bigot (French, Mer, Loire-et-Cher 1862–1927 Paris)
Date: ca. 1895–1897
Culture: French, Mer
Medium: Glazed stoneware
Dimensions: confirmed: 1 1/16 × 9 1/8 in. (2.6 × 23.2 cm)
Classification: Ceramics-Pottery
Credit Line: Gift of Martin Eidelberg, 2022
Object Number: 2022.421.2
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

Joan of Arc, Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon), Bronze uniface medal, French — Joan of Arc
Medalist: Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon)
1918

Dance Club, Wood, paint, cassowary feathers, Torres Strait Islander — Dance Club
Torres Strait Islander
late 19th–early 20th century

Plaque with irises, Auguste Delaherche French, Glazed stoneware, French, Armentières — Plaque with irises
Auguste Delaherche
ca. 1894–1904

Liege Colonne du Droit contre La Violence, Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon), Bronze uniface medal, French — Liege Colonne du Droit contre La Violence
Pierre Roche (pseudonym of Fernand Massignon)
1914

Ceramic Horn, Glazed pottery, French — Ceramic Horn
French
late 18th or early 19th century

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