a 'Hortensia' cameo glass table lamp, Nancy France ca 1900.
Acid etched and polished decoration of hortensias i light green against a matte pink and white background, both shade and base signed Gallé, bronze mounts in the shape of leaves (originally silver plated). Height ca 48 cm, the diameter of the shade ca 26.5 cm.
The electrical function not tested.
Emile Gallé was a French designer born in Nancy, primarily known as a glass artist, though he also worked with ceramics and Art Nouveau furniture. After a solid, traditional academic education, Gallé spent some time in Germany working with the firm Schwerer & Co. Gallé's earliest glass pieces were enamel painted; he later developed the technique "Marqueterie sur Verre" which involved embedding metal and glass details into the object, a complex technique used by few other artists. However, his largest production was of polished and etched cameo glass featuring biologically accurate floral decorations. The production continued after Gallé's death, and items were then signed with a star added to the signature.
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