
The garlic head motif of this vase is derived from classical Chinese forms, while the stem-like handle and strong diagonal grooves on the body relate it to Lachenal's abstract organic stoneware from around 1900. The thick white glaze, which in certain areas reveals the body beneath, is expressive in the manner of Japanese tea-ceremony vessels that influenced many French art potters of the fin de siècle. The piece shows how fluently Lachenal could combine Far Eastern influences with a plant-based Art Nouveau style. Marks: painted artist's name Lachenal, 128-125