Keramis Vase By Maurice Dufrene & Charles Catteau 1924

Rare Art Deco eathenware vase designed by La Maîtrise (Maurice Dufrêne) and made under the direction of Charles Catteau, Kéramis, La Louvière, Belgium, 1924. Design D.905 - Form F.974. Height : 30cm (11.8 inches), Width : 20cm (7.9 inches). "Boch Fes La Louvière" stamp. Marked "La MaÎtrise D.905" and mold mark 974. Illustrated in "Charles Catteau, Art Deco Ceramics Made in Belgium" by Marc Pairon, 2006.

Maurice Dufrene was born in Paris in 1876. He studied at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs,

In 1899, at the age of just 23, he became director and manager of La Maison Moderne, an association of artists who worked together to create designs which could be produced in multiples. These artists were van de Velde, Horta, Plumet and Selmersheim.

His work was first shown at salons in 1902, and from 1903 he regularly exhibited at Salon d’Automne and Salons of Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. He quickly moved to the forefront of modern design and was with Leon Jallot, among the group of French designers which became known as the Constructeurs, before the First World War. Dufrene had worked on Meier-Graefe's 'La Maison Moderne' around 1900 designing in the Art Nouveau style.

By 1910, his work adapted more simplified forms using more substantial materials and construction. In 1904, he became a founding member of the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, through which he exhibited for thirty years.

He taught for a while at Ecole Boulle, and returned to design in 1919 producing neat and logical designs embellished with recurring carved scroll motifs and decorated with marquetry floral medallions in boxwood, ebony and ivory.

In 1921 he joined the studio La Maitrise, as Artistic Director, and began a period of prolific production. The full flowering of his talent became apparent in his refined furniture designs and complete interiors. His inspiration was taken from 18th and 19th Century designs, with a modern approach.

At the 1925 Exposition, Dufrene was everywhere. As well as the La Maitrise pavilion, he designed the 'petit salon' in the 'Ambassade Francaise', a boutique for the furrier Jungman, and the row of shoes on the Pont Alexandre Ill. Dufrene's stylistic development continued into the 1930s when he experimented with steel and glass.

Adapting quickly to the Art Deco movement, the 1930s were just as busy for him.

He died in Nogent-sur-Marne in 1955. His interiors ranged eclectically from townhouses to avant-garde to glass, metal and mirrors, to commissions from Mobilier National for embassies and the Palais de l’Elysée in Paris. He would remain at La Maîtrise until 1952. Today much of his work goes unidentified.

Awarded a diploma of Engineer-ceramist at the ‘Ecole Nationale de Céramique’ of Sèvres, Charles Catteau was first given a job at the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur in Nymphenburg near Munich. There, he had the opportunity to further his artistic development before joining Boch Keramis in 1906.

Defending a vision of art available to everyone and convinced of the crucial role of education, Catteau held the role of teacher of decorative painting at the Ecole industrielle from 1907. He revealed himself to be an excellent pedagogue, encouraging his students towards stylisation and geometric forms.

In 1906, Catteau began a dazzling career. As a designer, he was promoted to Head of the Design Department at the age of 27. Catteau’s creations for Boch Frères were initially traditional (Delft designs were the jewel of his production at that time). The creative period of Charles Catteau was given a new impetus after the World War I, progressing with a renewal of forms, decorations and glazes. The production method reflected a more specific stylisation. Catteau introduced technical innovations: stoneware became his favourite material, while the enamels were increasingly bright.

Catteau’s first creations for Boch Frères were traditional. Inspiration for his designs came from observing the natural world. In 1920, his designs showed the influence of vegetation, animals, and geometric forms. The designs suited the forms and simulated movement, gaining a sort of inner life. Catteau's work was influenced by several art styles. Japanese and African art inspired his shapes and designs, while the international avant-garde movements led to the use of purely abstract, geometric designs and intense colours. In doing so, Catteau fully embraced the Art Deco style with a very personal touch.

The Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et industriels modernes in Paris in 1925 was of decisive importance for both Catteau and Boch Frères Keramis. In 1927, the “Verreries de Scailmont” in Manage called upon Catteau’s services. As the head of the “Atelier de Fantaisie” of the manufacturer Boch Frères Keramis, he won national and international recognition, and his work was very popular until the early '30s. He continued to work for the company until 1946. He left La Louvière in 1950 and moved to Nice (France), where he passed away in 1966.

His ceramic creations are now scattered throughout the world. The enthusiasm of collectors for his products keeps growing as they become increasingly rare in the market.

Condition report:

Excellent