Inventory Number C0220
Size 15.12" H x 5.25" W
Material Earthenware
Period Art Nouveau
Country of Origin France
Year Made c. 1899
Condition Excellent
Made under the artistic directorship of Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, this vase shows how skillfully Massier could walk the fine line between representational and abstract decoration. The triangular lozenges that constitute the allover décor are actually diatoms, a type of unicellular algae. Both Lévy-Dhurmer and Massier were fascinated with the decorative qualities of microscopic marine organisms, images of which were widespread in fin de siécle Europe.
