DELAHERCHE Auguste

DELAHERCHE Auguste

Auguste Delaherche (1857–1940)

Rare Oxblood (Sang-de-Bœuf) Glazed Stoneware Vase
France, circa 1920

This exceptional stoneware vase by Auguste Delaherche represents one of the finest achievements of French ceramic art during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Wheel-thrown with remarkable precision, the vase is distinguished by its extraordinarily pure sang-de-bœuf (oxblood) glaze, a celebrated ceramic finish inspired by the legendary copper-red glazes perfected centuries earlier during the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Delaherche, one of France's most accomplished ceramic artists, mastered this technically demanding glaze, achieving a depth and richness of color that remains extraordinarily difficult to reproduce.

The elegant ovoid body rises gracefully to a gently constricted neck and a subtly flared lip, creating a timeless silhouette of perfect balance and proportion. Rather than relying on elaborate decoration or sculptural ornament, Delaherche allows the extraordinary glaze to become the sole focus of the composition. The surface is enveloped in a deep, saturated crimson red that appears almost liquid in its luminosity. Beneath the glossy finish, delicate cloudy nuances animate the glaze, creating subtle variations that reveal themselves only as the light shifts across the surface.

What makes this vase particularly remarkable is the exceptional control achieved during firing. Unlike many sang-de-bœuf glazes, which often display dramatic streaking, pooling, running, or flashes of blue, purple, or black, this example exhibits an unusually even and harmonious finish. The glaze remains remarkably uniform from shoulder to foot, demonstrating Delaherche's extraordinary technical mastery of one of ceramics' most unpredictable firing processes. This refined restraint transforms the vase into a pure meditation on color, light, and form.

Measuring approximately 9 inches (23 cm) in height and 5.5 inches (14 cm) in diameter, the vase bears on its underside the impressed circular "AUGUSTE DELAHERCHE" studio mark together with the incised number 7489, confirming its authenticity and studio production. These marks are characteristic of Delaherche's mature period and reinforce the vase's importance within his body of work.

Auguste Delaherche is widely regarded as one of the leading figures of the French Art Pottery movement. Initially trained as a painter, he turned to ceramics in the 1880s and quickly established an international reputation for his innovative stoneware, refined forms, and groundbreaking glaze research. His works were exhibited at the Paris Salons and World's Fairs, earning numerous awards and attracting the admiration of collectors, museums, and fellow artists. Inspired by both East Asian ceramics and the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, Delaherche sought to elevate stoneware from utilitarian craft to the highest level of artistic expression.

Today, his finest sang-de-bœuf glazed vessels rank among the most sought-after examples of French ceramics. This vase perfectly embodies Delaherche's philosophy of restraint, technical perfection, and material beauty. The harmonious marriage of a pure classical form with one of the most difficult ceramic glazes ever mastered places this work among the most desirable creations of the artist and a distinguished example of early twentieth-century French ceramic art.

Price : Upon Request

Materials / Techniques: Glazed enameled ceramic

Condition: Excellent original condition. Old very minor chip underneath, not visible from outside

Measurements: H.9" x Diam 5"1/2