Essay by Paul Arnell, Class of 2006

The innovations that Emile Gallé contributed to the Art Nouveau movement came through his manipulation of cameo, a technique dating back to ancient Rome. Cameo glass comprises two or more separate colored layers of glass. The top layers are acid-etched, a technique used to remove areas of overlaid glass, in order to create designs in relief on the cameo glass vessels. He transformed formal two-color vases into complex, multilayered compositions. Using combinations of cutting and carving by hand, along with acid-etching, he created organic designs from as many as five layers of colored glass. Gallé also eliminated the sharp color contrasts, preferring to cut away colors at various levels in order to create shading, subtle color gradations, atmosphere and perspective.

Gallé had a close relationship with nature, as a philosopher and as a poet, and he found within the plant world the inspiration for his totally unique glass creations. He felt that beauty was truth and truth lay in nature. In this new era of science and machines, Gallé wanted to get back to the simplicity of nature. The elements of nature that had the most significant impact on Gallé came from the new influence of Japonisme.

Japonisme provided Gallé with inspiration, encouraging him to push the boundaries of contemporary glass both in terms of shape and content. He had enjoyed running through the summer fields in Nancy, spotting wild flowers, and sketching their colors and shapes. It was such early experiences with nature that led to his fascination with similar botanical motifs in Japanese art.

Many of these organic Japanese influences can be seen on this particular vase. One of the first points of interest is the winding spiral tree which takes up more than half of the vessel. The curvilinear form is typical of the Art Nouveau movement. Although the line is dramatic, the vase does not lose its organic shape. There is a strong sense that this is not a tree from his local environment, but is reminiscent of an asymmetrical element derived from a distant Japanese garden. By incorporating this exotic addition, the vase gains a mystical, poetic quality which invites the viewer to be contemplative.