This exceptional Mid-Century modernist ceramic bowl or centerpiece was designed in Marseille by the earthenware factory Saint-Jean-du-Désert (SJD). The decor piece was expertly crafted in France, circa 1950. The rare asymmetric bowl features a unique motif reminiscent of wood, finished with a high-gloss glaze. The artwork has a modern, provocative palette with cocoa brown, beige, and sand colors. The centerpiece has the original signed designer's identification for pieces made in Marseille on the underside. The faux-wood finishes give this bowl an organic flair typical of earthenware made in France in the mid-20th Century.
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Marseille earthenware was first produced in the Saint-Jean du Désert district, to the east of the city, starting in 1677. At the beginning of the 18th century, more new earthenware factories were established in the Porte d'Aix districts, to the north of the city, as well as in the Porte de Rome and Porte de Paradis districts to the south. Most of Marseille's earthenware factories disappeared between 1796 and 1806, shortly after the French Revolution. Marseille shares with Nevers and Rouen the reputation of having been one of the leading centers of earthenware manufacturing in France for over a century.
It was at the end of the 17th century that earthenware appeared in Saint-Jean-du-Désert (now a district of Marseille), thanks to a family of potters: the Clerissys, specifically Joseph for SJD and Pierre for Moutiers.
The production of Saint Jean du Désert was originally more decorative than utilitarian. The shapes and subjects were more noble, and the search for harmony in the decoration constituted an undeniable expression of Provençal Baroque.
The pieces were fired at a high fire. That is, the potter applied the decoration to the raw glaze and then exposed the pieces in a kiln at very high temperatures.
In 1959, the dissolution and liquidation of the Saint-Jean-du-Désert earthenware factory brought an end to this incredible adventure. Shortly after, the drums were demolished.