Vase

In his works, Gallé went far beyond the traditional European understanding of the ‘decorative arts’ and particularly beyond a purely decorative Art Nouveau style. He used the material and a great many techniques to generate particular atmospheres with his depictions, which in botanical terms were always extremely faithful. Gallé once described his work as “rêver pour le cristal des rôles tendres ou terribles” (dreaming up gentle or terrible roles for the Glass). The vase with its beech leaves, sessile oak, sycamore maple, Japanese maple and two types of fungus is unique, the result of a gentle, autumnal, perhaps somewhat melancholic artist’s dream. Among his competitors, and in his own company after his early death as well, the ‘genre Gallé,’ Gallé’s personal style, led to mindless mass production, which discredited his work. However, by taking the decisive step towards free art himself, Emile Gallé blazed a trail for modernity in craftwork. (Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk)