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

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

The composition of the decoration is carefully coordinated with the vase’s contours: the lower, voluminous belly displays fully opened flowers in shades of soft pink and warm ocher yellow, framed by dark green, stylized leaves. On the upper section, this theme is subtly repeated with hanging goblet-like flowers and bold, heart-shaped leaf motifs at the edge.

About the workshop:

In 1886 Emile L’Herminé-Declercq, together with his brother Joseph, founded the renowned earthenware factory in the North French town of Orchies. Emile was already the owner of a factory in the Belgian Rebaix at that time and chose Orchies strategically due to its proximity to other ceramic centers such as Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. The factory initially focused on producing everyday household items and tiles but shifted its focus from 1904 toward more artistic creations, resulting in the distinctive 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 bearing a windmill.