Clément Massier
Ruby Iris C0356
Inventory NumberC0356Size
20 3/4" W x 10" HMaterial
EarthenwarePeriod
SymbolistCountry of Origin
FranceYear Made
1900-1901Status
AvailableCondition
Professional conservation to neck
Description
The Ruby Iris vase is commanding in size and elegant in proportion. While the broad-based, narrow-necked shape of the form is borrowed from earlier traditions, the etched, painted, and iridescently glazed décor is innovative and arrestingly beautiful. Upon a gold and rainbow-hued background of great complexity, we find several irises in various stages of development. The ruby iris, the brightest and most fully articulated, wilts and dies as dramatically as an operatic diva. In art, the brief and vibrant life cycle of the flower often stands as a memento mori, a reminder of our own morality. Marks: painted artist's initials, Golfe Juan, AM; stamped artist's name, Golfe Juan
