Céramique 1900 - Art Deco - Art Nouveau - Art Modern. Ceramic, crockery, terracotta, sandstone, porcelain, stoneware, earthenware.
Ceramique 1900

Artus VAN BRIGGLE (1869-1904)  -  USA

The son of a Dutch immigrant, he was very early interested in graphic arts. As soon as he was out of the Academy of Arts of Cincinnati, he worked with Karl LANGENBECK in 1886 at Avon Pottery, before joining Rookwood pottery in 1887. Then on to the Julian Art Academy, then to the Fine Arts in Paris in 1893. After a brief stay in Italy in 1894 to study art, he went back to Cincinnati in 1896 where he stayed three years at Rockwood’s. His poor health forced him to go to Colorado in 1899 where he fitted his oven which was fully active as soon as August 1901. In four years of production, VAN BRIGGLE collected medals and prizes in the great international events. From his works then emerged his formidable potential, rich in his European experiences and influences, totally pervaded with Art Nouveau style. He exploited the colour which became his own : a subtle turquoise blue borrowed from the Ming dynasty, which he adapted to a whole range of hues. At his death the workshop employed fourteen people and his wife Anne LAWRENCE GREGORY (1868-1929) ran it until 1912. It was reorganized in 1910 into the VAN BRIGGLE POTTERY AND TILE COMPANY. It successively went bankrupt in 1913, was bought in 1915, burnt down in 1919, then knew several changes of fortune until to-day when, still active, it revives among others several of its founders’ models.