Emile Galle - vendere e comprare opere

4 May 1846, Nancy (France) - 23 September 1904, Nancy (France)

Émile Gallé was a French designer and craftsman during the Jugendstil and Art Deco periods. He specialised in glass as a material: his work in this field was pioneering, and he attracted international renown for his vase designs. In addition, Gallé is one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement.

Born in Nancy in 1846 to a glass and ceramic dealer, he showed artistic talent from an early age, along with a pronounced interest in the natural sciences. He moved to Germany in 1864 for his degree, initially studying architecture and arts & crafts in Weimar. Subsequently, Gallé completed an internship at a glass-maker in Alsace, before designing decoration in a fayence factory. He learned how to work with glass and wood during this period, and succeeded in making a name for himself in glassblowing, in particular. In 1874, he followed in his father’s footsteps and took on the leadership of his company, which was now very well known on the international stage. At the start of the 1880s, Gallé set up numerous studios and workshops where he experimented with various techniques and made innovative ideas a reality. In 1897, he developed the “marqueterie de verre” process, a complicated method of inlaying glass. Over the next few years, his company became a large corporation, with sales offices across Europe. He paired skilful craftsmanship with a keen nose for business. His preferred material was glass: his designs in this domain are still popular today, such as his colourful vases featuring ornamental reliefs inspired by nature. Gallé received various awards for his artistic achievements, including gold medals at the Paris World’s Fair in 1878, 1884 and 1900. In 1901, he collaborated with the brothers Augustin and Antonin Daum, René Lalique and Gabriel Argy-Rousseau to pave the way for the École de Nancy, of which he became the first president.
Gallé died three years later from complications associated with leukaemia. After his death, his widow and son-in-law continued to run the company until the early 1930s.

Works by Émile Gallé have enjoyed success at Dorotheum auctions for many years. On 28 November 2007, a marquetry vase with narcissus from 1899 sold for € 44,220.