Rustic Basin

Palissy created a variety of ceramics, such as this one in the style of what he called “rustiques figules.” These works take an intimate look at the botanical world of fish, reptiles, and other fauna. Palissy’s works are “rustique” or “rustic” in the sense that they capture the drama of nature in the animal life that is closest to the earth. In the Spencer’s ceramic, a snake has slithered onto a small island, sending other creatures to the borders of the basin for safety.

The figures on the basin are lifelike because they were cast from molds of real frogs, snakes, fish, and plants. Palissy adhered the forms onto an irregular surface that simulates the densely covered floor of the forest. The shells, partially embedded into the surface, reflect Palissy’s interest in fossils. Besides his acclaim as a ceramicist, Palissy is recognized as an early naturalist.