Jean Gerbino ball vase 1876-1966 Vallauris

Mixed clay vase by Jean Gerbino. 1960. Height 12 cm, diameter 11 cm. Signed. Perfect condition. Jean Gerbino is a Sicilian master ceramist who became a naturalized French citizen in 1928. His work is part of the Vallauris Pottery appellation, which encompasses the ceramic production of workshops and factories established in the region from the end of the 19th century. Starting as a simple turner in a Vallauris factory, Jean Gerbino established himself as the creator of a new art. His highly original process combines different mosaic and neriage techniques (a mixture of colored earths). The clays (earthenware) are colored throughout with oxides. The liquid paste is then stored in washing machines where it hardens. Once compacted, the ceramist takes it back to his studio in small bundles, which resemble bread dough. These clays are assembled flat to form designs. The resulting slabs are shaped in molds. After drying, the piece is fired a first time, covered with a colorless glaze, and then fired a second time. In 1930, Jean Gerbino set up as a craftsman to pursue his idea and won the Grand Prix de Paris in 1931 (29th Concours Lépine). He regularly received awards at the numerous exhibitions in which he participated until his death in 1966. The secret of making these earth mosaics has been passed down from generation to generation, and the business continues to this day. With their slightly African-Moorish air, Jean Gerbino's ceramics bear the mark of the colonial exoticism of the 1930s that saw their creation. Endowed with strong decorative qualities, they remain fashionable today.