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

This rare double belly vase in gourd form is an excellent example of early 20th-century majolica production from the manufactory in the French North, Orchies, under the leadership of Emile L’Herminé-Declercq. The object embodies the essence of Art Nouveau through its organic lines and vivid, naturalistic decoration. The vase is rendered in a striking turquoise that serves as a bright canvas for the hand-painted floral motif in relief.

The decoration’s composition is carefully aligned with the vase’s contours: the lower, voluminous belly displays open-bloom flowers in shades of soft pink and warm ochre yellow, framed by deep green, stylized leaves. In the upper section, this theme is subtly echoed with hanging bellflowers 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 Northern French town of Orchies. Emile was already the owner of a factory in the Belgian Rebaix and chose Orchies strategically due to its proximity to other ceramics centers such as Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. The factory initially focused on producing everyday objects and tiles but from 1904 shifted its focus 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 featuring a windmill.