Zoomorphic teapot in stoneware from Puisaye – Wipff / Lion

Rare zoomorphic teapot in glazed stoneware from Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, based on a model created by Joseph Wipff for Eugène Lion, in the tradition of the School of Jean Carriès. This particularly expressive piece features a sculptural silhouette with organic shapes, evoking a fantastic animal. The pointed spout and the pierced handle, modelled in continuation of the body, give it a unique appearance, straddling the line between a utilitarian object and a sculpture. The glazing, characteristic of Pierre Lion's productions, combines shades of reddish-brown and beige with a wide cream-white band, punctuated by delicate variations in texture and firing effects. Joseph Wipff is a ceramist associated with the history of artistic stoneware from Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye. The model of this teapot is part of the movement to renew forms initiated by Jean Carriès at the end of the 19th century. Eugène Lion (1867-1945), from a family of potters in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, was one of the main artisans of the revival of local stoneware. His father, Amand Lion, had welcomed Jean Carriès in 1888 and participated in his research on glazes. Eugène continued this tradition, developing a production that blended artisanal know-how with artistic research. Joseph Wipff and the Lion family are both referenced in the book "Grès de Puisaye, de Jean Carriès à nos jours – Marques et signatures, " dedicated to the history of potters and ceramists from Puisaye. An original collector's piece, representative of the inventiveness of Puisaye stoneware and the influence of the Carriès School. Dimensions: Height: 15 cm. Diameter: 11 cm. Length: 13 cm. Condition: perfect condition. Not signed. Origin: Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, Nièvre, France.