A Celebration of Passion: An Exceptional Auction of Contemporary Ceramics and Glassware from a Private Collection
Dear art lovers and passionate collectors,
We are thrilled to invite you to a rare event in the world of contemporary art: an exceptional auction to be held on June 13 and 14, 2024, at the Limoges Enchères auction house in France.
At the heart of this auction lies an extraordinary private collection, assembled with passion and expertise over more than forty years by a couple of collectors who wish to remain anonymous. Far from being a mere collection of objects, it represents a true work of art in itself, tracing without a word, piece by piece, a subjective, loving, and profoundly just history of the creation of ceramics and glassware from the 1950s to the present day.
Their Story
She is a painter and ceramicist with a scientific and creative mind. She also loves literature, poetry, and foreign languages. He is a decision-maker, a lover of art, history, and geopolitics. Their gaze turned to the painting, sculpture, bronze, and ceramics of their time.
The story begins over 40 years ago, let’s listen to them:
“Friendships, crushes, emotions, this collection is made of encounters with artists. We have supported and encouraged many of them for years and have followed their journeys with attention, admiration, and affection. The collection has also grown thanks to the gallery owners who have opened up new horizons to us. Each piece in our collection is a reflection of our personal emotion, our aesthetic sensibility independent of market trends and trends. We both want to convey with each piece a part of our love for ceramics.”
A Unique Opportunity for Collectors
The couple discovered many of these artists when no one knew them yet. Some have even become friends with whom they have shared their journey. Each work bears the imprint of the passion and vision of the collectors who have patiently assembled something truly unique. For there is no other private collection in France as complete and diverse. Glass, porcelain, terracotta, stoneware, bronze, and wood coexist harmoniously, testifying to the boundless creativity of the artists represented. From the utilitarian vase to the most abstract work, each piece tells a story, reflecting the sensitivity and talent of its creator.
Over 450 Works by Over 100 Artists
The collection brings together over 450 works by more than 100 artists, including some of the most important names on the international scene. From timeless masterpieces to bold and innovative creations, this auction invites you to explore the richness and diversity of contemporary ceramics and glass. Among the most represented artists are Pierre Bayle (24 works), Gisèle Buthod-Garçon (72), Claude Champy (16), Sophie Combres (18), Bernard Dejonghe (6), Elizabeth Joulia (9), Andoche Praudel (11), Camille Virot (20), and Michel Wolfahrt (27). Unique pieces by artists such as Axel Cassel, Jacky Coville, Kristine Mc Kirdy, Jennifer Lee, and Valentine Schlegel complete this exceptional collection.
Focus on Some Major Artists of the Collection
Gisèle Buthod-Garçon (1954): A major artist and friend of the collectors for 40 years, Gisèle Buthod-Garçon is the most represented artist in the collection with over 70 works. Her work is characterized by plant, organic forms, and textured glazes whose material liberates the spiritual form and allows one to guess the artist’s intention. She is an adventurer of contemporary raku. For thirty years, she has been tracking down its possibilities, constantly opening up new avenues.
Pierre Bayle (1945 – 2004): An artist of modern times, Pierre Bayle revived the ancestral technique of sigillata by reviving old methods of low-temperature firing and smoking. Sensitive to the culture of Mediterranean antiquity, in the lineage of the traditions of these master potters, he works with engobes and firings. His pieces, often inspired by nature, are distinguished by their elegance and sobriety.
In 2002, Pierre Bayle received the 1st prize of the L’Intelligence de la main – Liliane Bettencourt foundation for his work Gaea (earthenware engobe called sigillée), “a true potter’s work, born from the desire to find the calm of the wheel and the known gesture ».
Elizabeth Joulia (1925-2003): A pioneer of ceramic sculpture in France, Elizabeth Joulia is represented by 9 works in the collection. Her sculptures, often abstract and monumental, explore the expressive possibilities of terracotta.
Inspired by abstract art and modern architecture, she creates sculptures with geometric forms and textured surfaces. She experiments with different techniques, including raku and stoneware, and explores the infinite possibilities of terracotta. Her work is characterized by a great freedom of expression and a constant search for innovation. She developed a unique style that quickly set her apart from her contemporaries. 20 years after her disappearance, her works are enjoying increasing success.
Claude Champy (1944): A key figure in 20th-century French ceramics, Claude Champy made his mark on the history of this art with his singular and poetic approach. His work, is a subtle dialogue between earth and fire, and explores the textures and colors of the material with finesse and sensitivity, and a constant search for innovation.
Let’s listen to him: “I love the earth, its smell. I have a real pleasure in feeling this earth bend, tear, swell, stretch, retain all the traces of fingers, fingerprints of tools… In the case of turning, it slips between the fingers, breathing in a different way. Everything can become writing, sign, calligraphy.”
Sophie Combres (1962): A French artist recognized for her poetic approach to ceramics, Sophie Combres creates pieces that explore the links between nature, everyday life, and the imagination. Her works, with a pictorial language that evokes mythology, the beauty and simplicity of the forms and colors of the Mediterranean basin, are distinguished by their elegant lines and delicate glazes.
Bernard Dejonghe (1942): His specialties are ceramics and glass, which he later made his favorite medium. He conceives glass as a means of artistic expression in its own right, on the same level as writing or painting, and opens up his practice to plastic and scientific experiments. In his workshop in the hinterland of Nice, the former ceramist continues his quest for new textures and optical effects in the service of simple and geometric forms. Appointed Master of Art in 2006, recognized by his peers, Bernard Dejonghe now transmits his knowledge and gestures to a student to perpetuate them.
His works are in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Corning Museum of Glass in New York, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
The future is not written yet.
In a few days, the immense work of this couple will be dispersed. This auction is the last chapter of a long story. We hope that others will take up the torch and that these new acquirers will write new stories that are just as passionate about this art whose future seems increasingly promising.
Practical Information
The auction will take place on June 13 and 14, 2024, at Limoges Enchères. The complete catalog is available online on the Drouot auction platform. Do not hesitate to contact us for any further information.
Limoges Enchères: contact@limogesencheres.fr, tel +33 5 55 77 60 00. Facebook and Instagram
Image Captions (with USD estimates)
- Lot 110. Estimate: $2,100 – $3,200. BUTHOD-GARCON Gisèle (1954), “Quietude” (2013), large ceramic sculpture, full volume, roundness and sobriety. Engobed piece with a softened appearance that evokes Japanese landscapes. H. 59 x L. 45 x l. 31 cm.
- Lot 260. Estimate: $4,300 – $5,400. BAYLE Pierre (1945-2004), Blade canaupe, sigillated earth. H. 54 x L. 25 cm. Signed dated 1989. In search of the harmony of nature and forms, antique engobes.
- Lot 340. Estimate: $8,600 – $10,800. JOULIA Elizabeth (1925-2003), “Mask n°4”, large open sculpture with fins. La Borne stoneware, 1990. H. 45 x l. 36 cm.
- Lot 255. Estimate: $2,100 – $3,200. CHAMPY Claude (1944), Sandstone cliff, material effects from the “Geological fields” series with rugged natural reliefs. H. 55 x l. 58 cm.
- Lot 69. Estimate: $860 – $1,080. COMBRES Sophie (1960-2006), Large polychrome ceramic vase with face decoration.H.44 x l. 35 cm. Signed.
- Lot 410. Estimate: $2,100 – $3,200. DEJONGHE Bernard (1942), “Meule vive”, sculpture, massive optical glass molded with “enclosed light”.L. 22 x l. 26 cm.
- Lot 390. Estimate: $2,100 – $3,200. PRAUDEL Andoche (1950). “Large Bowl 14 JULY 1515”, artistic ceramic, raku with nuanced green glaze veined with gold lines: restored with lacquer sprinkled with gold powder, known as “kintsugi” in Japan. Dimensions: H. 30 x L. 41 x W. 35 cm.
