Elegant Vase

This small vase demonstrates the prominence Émile Decouer placed on the medium of pottery itself; through removing excess embellishment and using simple, monochromatic glazes, Decouer accentuated the beauty of the materials he used in his works. Decouer’s simplicity and the importance he gave to form are far removed from the highly decorative trend seen in other ceramics during this period. This work in particular includes faint, almost transparent lines of pastel green against a pale yellow-white background, as well as expressively wrought lines of dark brown at the base and rim. The delicately crackled texture of the glaze adds further to the vase’s subtle visual interest.