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Gabriel Argy-Rousseau Pâte de Verre "Corollas" Night Light
$13,500
The arresting "Corollas" night light depicts a dreamy abundance of near abstracted, overlapping blooms in hues of emerald and amethyst. Argy-Rousseau chose the mallow, a flower that was spread on doorways and woven into garlands or chaplets every May Day. The top of the nightlight is composed of large bracts surrounding the flower's center, akin to the protea flower. The shape of this nightlight was based on Egyptian head cones, perfumed cones of beeswax originally believed to slowly melt and perfume the hair of elite Egyptian women. Argy Rousseau was fascinated with ancient Egyptian aesthetics and the history of perfume. Early in his career, Argy Rousseau designed perfume bottles for Maison Franck. Additionally, he marketed many of his night lights as perfume-burning night lights. Combining historical references and florals epitomized the modernity of Art Deco design, pushing pastiche ornament into the realm of geometric abstraction.
- Product Details
- Curator's Notes
Item #: YEL-21277
Artist: Gabriel Argy-Rousseau
Country: France
Circa: 1926
Dimensions: 8" height.
Materials: Pâte de verre, translucent glass, Wrought Iron
Signed: signed in the mold "G. Argy-Rousseau" and "FRANCE"
Literature: Janine Bloch-Dermant, G. Argy-Rousseau, Catalogue Raisonné, London 1990, no. 26.07
Though a generally soft and naturalistic composition, Argy-Rousseau does make some nods in the design of this piece to the artistic and decorative style that ruled the day when it was created, the Art Deco style. Upon closer inspection you may notice that the interiors of the flowers are dominated by strict and regular geometric forms, a hall mark of the Deco movement.