L'Herminé-Declercq - Vase - Earthenware - Double-bellied vase

This rare double-bodied vase in gourd form is an excellent example of the artistic majolica production from the early 20th century of the manufacture in Orchies, France, led by Emile L’Herminé-Declercq. The piece embodies the essence of Art Nouveau with its organic lines and vibrant, nature-inspired decoration. The vase is rendered in a striking turquoise that serves as a bright canvas for the hand-painted, relief floral motif.

The arrangement of the decoration is carefully tuned to the contours of the vase: the lower, voluminous belly displays open blossoms in shades of soft pink and warm ochre yellow, framed by dark green, stylized leaves. In the upper section, this theme is subtly repeated with hanging bell-shaped flowers and bold, heart-shaped leaf motifs at the rim.

About the workshop:

In 1886 Emile L’Herminé-Declercq, together with his brother Joseph, founded the renowned earthenware factory in northern France, Orchies. Emile was at that time already the owner of a factory in Rebaix, Belgium, and chose Orchies strategically because of its proximity to other ceramic centers such as Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. The factory initially focused on the production of everyday objects and tiles, but from 1904 shifted its focus to more artistic creations, resulting in the characteristic Art Nouveau pieces recognizable by the OLD mark, an acronym for Orchies L’Herminé Declercq. After a merger in 1923, the Faïenceries du Moulin des Loups & Hamage were formed, recognizable by the cachet with a windmill.