A very rare opaline glass vase by French Art Nouveau pioneer François-Théodore Legras (1836-1916) inspired by Delft’s ceramics. Circa 1890s-1910s. The cylindrical hand-painted milky-white opaline body depicts a typical Dutch windmill overlooking small houses and sailboats on a river, done in a style inspired by the famous Delftware, using an exclusively blue monochrome. The masterful use of the single blue colour is proven with application of different shades of blue to create depth and light effects. According to authority book MICHEL M.-F. & J.-F, VITRAT, “François-Théodore Legras” [Collectif Legras, 2012], the Delft series was a limited high end series made in very small quantity. Almost identical models are featured in the same book and Legras’ catalogue. The name of the vase’s shape is St Denis. An identical model is featured in the original Legras catalogue. See picture. NO crack! NO chip! Overall very good condition. See pictures. Height: 27.5cm; Diametre: 8.19cm Hard to find item! This is Legras’ homage to Delft’s beautiful ceramics, a very uncommon theme