Norbert Pierlot (1919-1979) Large Pitcher Vase With Brown-green Glaze, Circa 1960. Ratilly, Jouve

Superb large stoneware pitcher vase by Norbert and Jeanne Pierlot in Ratilly, circa 1960, signed with their usual mark at the base: an incised tawny owl. Height: 31.5 cm. In perfect condition. This is a magnificent piece by the Pierlots, a superb hand-thrown pitcher with a handle, covered in a beautiful brown, hare's-hair glaze with moss-green highlights. The wheel-throwing striations are visible, adding to the piece's elegance, as does its slender and refined shape. A truly beautiful piece that perfectly represents the artistic output of the Pierlots. Norbert Pierlot, born in 1919 in Azzaba (formerly Jemmapes, Skikda Province, Algeria) and died in 1979, was a French actor and ceramicist. Having come from the world of Lyon's theater, Norbert Pierlot became a potter in Burgundy. After his first marriage to the painter Mireille Montangerand, he and his second wife, Jeanne Pierlot (née Monvel), restored the Château de Ratilly in 1951, transforming it into a center for pottery, ceramics, and contemporary art. They hosted all the leading ceramists and potters during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, including Georges Jouve, Bernard Leach, Hamada, Francine Delpierre, Montmollin, and others. Today, his pieces are highly sought after by collectors, particularly his artistic works. An actor, he is known for films such as *Les Fruits sauvages* (1954) and *Les Potiers* (1962). He died in 1979.