BOUQUET OF FRENCH MARIGOLDS by Didier Gardillou – CONTEMPORARY – 18th-Century PARIS PORCELAIN POT – À LA REINE MANUFACTORY

An exceptional composition combining a porcelain floral arrangement entirely handcrafted by master ceramic artist Didier Gardillou with an antique porcelain pot from the À LA REINE Manufactory.

THE POT:
White ground decorated in polychrome with gilt foliage and a central medallion featuring a bouquet of roses, framed by a garland of gilt leaves and gold bands. The decoration is bordered by two orange-ground bands, each embellished with a garland of gilt foliage. Gold bands and gilt wolf's-tooth borders decorate the body and rims.

FLORAL COMPOSITION: “FRENCH MARIGOLDS”

The French marigolds, entirely crafted from hand-painted porcelain, are distinguished by their striking realism.

Their petals display vibrant yellow-orange hues, delicately fringed with brown, faithfully recreating the natural appearance of the flowers.

Stems and foliage in patinated and painted metal.

Each flower is entirely modelled and painted by hand, highlighting the exceptional craftsmanship of Didier Gardillou, master artisan and specialist in porcelain floral trompe-l'œil.

He is the only artist in the world to create flowers with such a striking and unique degree of realism.

Each creation is a unique work, in which the subtle dialogue between antique and contemporary art operates to remarkable effect. The composition is thus transformed into an exceptional object, both a work of art and an element of contemporary interior decoration.

This porcelain floral composition, combined with an antique porcelain pot, represents a perfect marriage between the refinement of the 18th century and Didier Gardillou's contemporary artistic expression, perpetuating the excellence of French decorative arts.

These floral compositions are a worldwide exclusive, created solely for our Gallery. They are unavailable anywhere else, making each composition a rare and exceptional work of art.

Dimensions : Overall height 27 cm – Diam. 16 cm

Mark(s) : Under the pot, a crowned “A” stencilled in red, the mark of the À LA REINE Manufactory in Paris.

Condition : PERFECT CONDITION

Period : Pot: 18th century – LOUIS XVI
                Floral composition: CONTEMPORARY

DIDIER GARDILLOU – ARTISTIC CAREER

Gifted in the visual arts, Didier Gardillou's visit to the Adrien Dubouché Museum proved decisive, definitively directing him towards the applied ceramic arts.

1972–1977: Trained at the ENAD in Limoges under the direction of Jean-Jacques Prolongeau. He became both his pupil and collaborator in the workshop, taking part in France's “1er for Art” architectural commissions and in the production of sculptural and decorative ceramic works in stoneware and earthenware, as well as porcelain painting.

1979: Prizewinner of the Chambre Syndicale des Céramistes and Ateliers d'Art de France. Awarded First Prize at the Ateliers d'Art exhibition for the body of work he presented, including biscuit porcelain sculptures and glazed porcelain decorated with low-temperature enamel colours.

1981: Exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris as part of “La Céramique Française contemporaine, sources et courants” (Contemporary French Ceramics: Sources and Trends), presenting porcelain and trompe-l'œil decoration.

1982: Works acquired by the Presidency of the French Republic for Denmark and Spain, including cabbage tureens and other sculptural porcelain forms.

1983: Gold Medal at the Foire de Paris. First Prize in the creativity competition at the Salon des Artisans d'Art for a nine-part sculpture. Exhibition in Tokyo in partnership with Printemps, Ateliers d'Art de France, Air France and the Paris Chamber of Commerce.

In the early 1990s, his former master Jean-Jacques Prolongeau joined his former pupil in Gardillou's workshop, where they collaborated on porcelain decoration, particularly vases and bowls.

Didier Gardillou's works are held in private collections in France, Switzerland, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain and Italy, as well as in public museum collections in Sèvres and London.

Passionate about nature, flowers, and both antique and contemporary ceramics, Didier Gardillou draws inspiration from the great tradition of illusionistic ceramics. Through his extraordinary trompe-l'œil creations, he invites us into a world of wonder, while his remarkable porcelain flowers and floral compositions reveal an exceptional mastery of naturalistic ceramic art.