Palissy Ware

Monumental Palissy Ware
by Marshall P. Katz © 1991

Exhibition Platter, Achille Barbizet,
signed "A.B" on the back,
43 1/4" long by 31 1/2" wide by 6" high,
ca. 1878, Paris, France
Exhibition Platter,
attribution Maison Barbizet, unsigned,
43 1/4" long x 31 1/2" wide by 6" high,
ca. 1878, Paris, France

THE GREAT EXHIBITIONS
The surest way for any 19th-century artisan to enhance his or her reputation was to participate in one or more of the great exhibitions which flourished in Europe principally between 1851 and 1900. Beginning with the 1851 Great Universal Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London until the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, many thousands of artists from around the world competed in a variety of categories for coveted prize medals, often resulting in lucrative trade orders as well from home and abroad.

The applied and decorative arts represented a very modest segment of these global extravaganzas that lasted up to six months, attracted millions of visitors, and focused primarily on science and industry. Nevertheless, the French excelled in the luxury goods categories which relied upon individual artisanship much more than engineering and invention. The one great exception, of course, was the spectacular tower named after its architect, Gustave Eiffel, and erected for the 1889 Exposition Universelle de Paris. It remains to this day the signature work on the Parisian landscape and symbol of the "City of Lights."
A number of Palissy ceramists participated in these exhibitions winning gold, silver, and bronze medals. Not the least of these was Victor Barbizet (1809-c.1870), credited with founding the "School of Paris," and his son Achille (c.1825-1885). In 1851 they moved their workshop from Burgundy to the outskirts of Paris, and twenty-two years later (1873), increased the workshop to 16,000 square feet to accommodate their 60 employees.

By this time Victor had died leaving Achille to oversee the enterprise known as Maison Barbizet. Achille exhibited in Vienna, London, and Paris in 1873, 1874, and 1878 where he won a prestigious silver medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle besting contemporary rivals, Edouard Avisseau and Thomas-Victor Sergent, who only managed bronzes. Georges Pull was the only Palissyist in 1878 to win gold.

LARGER THAN LIFE
The grandeur and sheer size of the exhibitions were astounding. At the 1878 Paris Exposition there were 55,100 exhibitors, the building and grounds covered 687 acres, and more than 16,000,000 people attended. The competition to attract attention must have been overwhelming given the grandiose objects in many exhibits. These "exhibition works" were often larger-than-life, intended to draw crowds, and lavishly display artisanal skills. It is probable most were not intended for sale.

Exhibition Platter, Achille Barbizet, attribution Maison Barbizet, unsigned,
43 1/4" long, x 31 1/2" , x 6" high, ca.1878, Paris, France, Courtesy Hotel Drouot.

The three exhibition platters illustrated in this article are believed to have been exhibited by Maison Barbizet at the 1878 Paris Exposition. Each measures 43 1/4 inches by 31 1/2 inches, is six inches deep, and weighs approximately 75 pounds. Illustration 1, a large central pike surrounded by a variety of flora and fauna decorating an immense platter, bears the initials "A.B." (Achille Barbizet) painted under the glaze on the reverse. Illustration 2, a trophy-size codfish floating on a pool of water with water plants and reptiles is a similar-sized platter. It is unsigned, typical of nearly all Barbizet pieces except for some with Achille's initials. Illustration 3 is another exhibition platter sold at French auction in 1996, unsigned and attributed by the seller to the 1878 Paris Exposition. Another platter of similar proportion and design in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art (not illustrated), and purchased by them at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition has never been displayed (at least as of five years ago). A fifth "exhibition platter" (not illustrated) is reputed to be conserved at the Musée Adrien Dubouché in Limoges, but I have not ascertained its origin.

Which of these monumental platters were displayed at the 1878 Exposition is unlikely to be proven. Barbizet's factory, which ceased production in 1880, was demolished in the mid-to-late 1880s, and production records, if any still exist, have not surfaced.

WALL PANELS
While these platters are the largest I've seen by any of the Palissy ceramists, surprisingly they are not the largest works by these artists. Charles-Jean Avisseau's monumental confit dish (see "Palissy Ware," Katz and Lehr, page 51) displayed at the Musée des Beaux Arts in Tours stands nearly seven feet high, although it's composed of eleven pieces attached on top of another.

Even larger are three wall panels. The first measuring nearly 9 feet x 6 feet and entitled "La Céramique" won Georges Pull a gold medal at the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle. Two smaller Barbizet wall panels, each approximately 6 feet x 5 feet are at the Musée Adrien Dubouché and the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art. The latter was also purchased at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, but was severely damaged many years ago and has remained in storage.

	THE GREAT EXHIBITIONS The surest way for any 19th-century artisan to enhance his or her reputation was to participate in one or more of the great exhibitions which flourished in Europe principally between 1851 and 1900. Beginning with the 1851 Great Universal Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London until the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, many thousands of artists from around the world competed in a variety of categories for coveted prize medals, often resulting in lucrative trade orders as well from home and abroad. The applied and decorative arts represented a very modest segment of these global extravaganzas that lasted up to six months, attracted millions of visitors, and focused primarily on science and industry. Nevertheless, the French excelled in the luxury goods categories which relied upon individual artisanship much more than engineering and invention. The one great exception, of course, was the spectacular tower named after its architect, Gustave Eiffel, and erected for the 1889 Exposition Universelle de Paris. It remains to this day the signature work on the Parisian landscape and symbol of the "City of Lights." A number of Palissy ceramists participated in these exhibitions winning gold, silver, and bronze medals. Not the least of these was Victor Barbizet (1809-c.1870), credited with founding the "School of Paris," and his son Achille (c.1825-1885). In 1851 they moved their workshop from Burgundy to the outskirts of Paris, and twenty-two years later (1873), increased the workshop to 16,000 square feet to accommodate their 60 employees. By this time Victor had died leaving Achille to oversee the enterprise known as Maison Barbizet. Achille exhibited in Vienna, London, and Paris in 1873, 1874, and 1878 where he won a prestigious silver medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle besting contemporary rivals, Edouard Avisseau and Thomas-Victor Sergent, who only managed bronzes. Georges Pull was the only Palissyist in 1878 to win gold. LARGER THAN LIFE The grandeur and sheer size of the exhibitions were astounding. At the 1878 Paris Exposition there were 55,100 exhibitors, the building and grounds covered 687 acres, and more than 16,000,000 people attended. The competition to attract attention must have been overwhelming given the grandiose objects in many exhibits. These "exhibition works" were often larger-than-life, intended to draw crowds, and lavishly display artisanal skills. It is probable most were not intended for sale.

	Exhibition Platter, Achille Barbizet, attribution Maison Barbizet, unsigned, 43 1/4" long, x 31 1/2" , x 6" high, ca.1878, Paris, France, Courtesy Hotel Drouot.
	The three exhibition platters illustrated in this article are believed to have been exhibited by Maison Barbizet at the 1878 Paris Exposition. Each measures 43 1/4 inches by 31 1/2 inches, is six inches deep, and weighs approximately 75 pounds. Illustration 1, a large central pike surrounded by a variety of flora and fauna decorating an immense platter, bears the initials "A.B." (Achille Barbizet) painted under the glaze on the reverse. Illustration 2, a trophy-size codfish floating on a pool of water with water plants and reptiles is a similar-sized platter. It is unsigned, typical of nearly all Barbizet pieces except for some with Achille's initials. Illustration 3 is another exhibition platter sold at French auction in 1996, unsigned and attributed by the seller to the 1878 Paris Exposition. Another platter of similar proportion and design in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art (not illustrated), and purchased by them at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition has never been displayed (at least as of five years ago). A fifth "exhibition platter" (not illustrated) is reputed to be conserved at the Musée Adrien Dubouché in Limoges, but I have not ascertained its origin. Which of these monumental platters were displayed at the 1878 Exposition is unlikely to be proven. Barbizet's factory, which ceased production in 1880, was demolished in the mid-to-late 1880s, and production records, if any still exist, have not surfaced. WALL PANELS While these platters are the largest I've seen by any of the Palissy ceramists, surprisingly they are not the largest works by these artists. Charles-Jean Avisseau's monumental confit dish (see "Palissy Ware," Katz and Lehr, page 51) displayed at the Musée des Beaux Arts in Tours stands nearly seven feet high, although it's composed of eleven pieces attached on top of another. Even larger are three wall panels. The first measuring nearly 9 feet x 6 feet and entitled "La Céramique" won Georges Pull a gold medal at the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle. Two smaller Barbizet wall panels, each approximately 6 feet x 5 feet are at the Musée Adrien Dubouché and the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art. The latter was also purchased at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, but was severely damaged many years ago and has remained in storage.