New photography by Shannon Ruff captured with a digital camera-2006.

Small Roses Vase

Manufacturer Gabriel Argy-Rousseau (French, 1885-1953)

CultureFrench

Dateca. 1921

MediumPâte de verre

DimensionsOverall: 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Overall, Rim: 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm)
Base: 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)

InscribedMarked: "G. ARGY-ROUSSEAU" on side and "FRANCE" on bottom.

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Donald A. Kilmer in memory of Donald A. Kilmer

Object number90.58

On View

Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 231

DescriptionSmall roses vase of translucent colorless & mottled purple pate de verre glass. With a repeating pattern of long-stemmed purple flowers with green centers. The repeat, which occurs three times, consists of a large single blossom flower flanked by twin blossom flowers. Rim and basal ring ground. Good condition. Minor stains (rust?) inside vase at bottom.

Label TextGabriel Argy-Rousseau French (1885-1953) Small Roses Vase, ca. 1921 Glass (pâte de verre) Mark incised on side: G. ARGY-ROUSSEAU Gift of Mrs. Donald A. Kilmer in memory of Donald A. Kilmer 90.58 "Such successful shapes, such amazing coloring produced by the gold, brass, cobalt, and uranium oxides; such beautiful interminglings of colors, such fluid sculpture!" So wrote a critic describing Gabriel Argy-Rousseau's first exhibit of pâte de verre at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1914. Even though Argy-Rousseau served as an engineer in World War I, he continued his experiments with the medium. His early works, which include this vase, may be regarded as late expressions of Art Nouveau naturalism, but he would soon become a brilliant exemplar of the Art Deco style. Argy-Rousseau's sophisticated pâtes de verre are multiple originals, for though more than one casting was made from each model, the coloring of each is unique. Versions of this vase are known with quite different color schemes - an example with light red flowers is in the Kunstmuseum, Dusseldorf, and another with pink flowers is in the Collection Lécuyer, Brussels. Edited By: GLYExhibition History"Treasures for the Community: The Chrysler Collects, 1989-1996," October 25, 1996 - March 2, 1997 Published ReferencesVictor Arwas, GLASS ART NOUVEAU TO ART DECO, pp. 27-35. Grover, EUROPEAN ART GLASS, fig. 117, pg. 91, parallel bowl in a different color in Helmut Hentrich Collection, Duseldorf. J. Bloch-Dermant, G. ARGY-ROUSSEAU, pg. 187, Cat. Raisonne 21.09, height given as 7.5 cm.