Théodore Deck et Gagneau

Pair of orientalist lamps signed ThD and Gagneau Signed ThD on the porcelain and Gagneau on the bronze. France Circa 1875 Earthenware, gilded bronze Height : 73 cm ; Diameter : 17 cm Pair of lamps in earthenware " bleu de Deck ", with Persian decoration. Mounted on openwork bases in gilt bronze. Biographies : Ceramist of reputation, Théodore Deck born in Guebwiller in 1823, makes his training in Strasbourg in the faience factory of Hügelin. After an initiatory stay through Europe, he arrived in Paris in 1847. In 1861 he made his first public appearance at the Salon des Arts et de l'Industrie in Paris, where he won a silver medal for his exhibited works. Recognized from this time, Deck was deeply influenced by the artistic trend of the moment: Orientalism. He then took up with great precision the oriental naturalistic motifs. Emile Reiber (1826-1893), who worked at Christofle as head designer, also made sketches for Deck. His fame, gained through long work, was established at the World Fairs in which he participated: in Vienna in 1873, where he left all his rivals behind; in Paris in 1878, where he won the grand prize for portraits with a gold background. Praised by the critics during the Exhibition of the Central Union of Decorative Arts in 1874, the "Gazette des Beaux-Arts" (Paris, 1874, Vol. XXXV, p° 310) reports that "Mr Deck, the master of the masters, is the purest glory of French ceramics". His life is a succession of achievements whose goal is to improve the technology of earthenware. Thus he improves the rendering of colors, among which is a novelty, a turquoise blue commonly called "Blue Deck". Theodore Deck has talent and knows it. However he does not keep his art for himself, he shares it with other artists and launches young talents without fortune. He thus illustrates the renewal of ceramic art during the second half of the 19th century. All his methods were made public and published in a book on earthenware. His genius recognized, promoted to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor, he was appointed in 1887 administrator of the manufacture of Sevres. Gagneau, a famous lighting manufacturer in Paris, participated in a large number of exhibitions of industrial products from 1819 and won numerous awards throughout the 19th century. Recognized among his peers, G. Gagneau was a member of the jury in the category of art bronzes (Class 25) at the Paris World Fair in 1889.