Emile Gallé (1846–1904) was a leading French Art Nouveau artisan active from the late 19th century through the early 20th century. The works he designed spanned three fields—glassware, ceramics, and furniture—and his pieces, featuring organic decorations inspired by natural forms such as flowers, plants, and insects, have long been widely appreciated in Japan as well.
Since its opening, our museum has held two exhibitions featuring Gallé, a key artist in our collection, and has explored the appeal of his works. This exhibition—our first Gallé-themed show in approximately two years—focuses on Gallé’s ceramics recently acquired for our collection (from the former Matsue Kitahori Collection). It delves into Gallé’s ceramic production while tracing the influence of Japanese arts and crafts—which served as a rich source of inspiration for him—and the process by which he incorporated these influences into his work.