Anthropomorphic Vase By Jacques Pouchain (1927–2015).

Female figure with one hand holding a stylized flower
(sunflower) on her stomach, the otheron her head.
Glazed and wiped ceramic in shades of gray, beige, and brown
with applied decorationon the front.
Early 1960s.
On the bottom, an incised handwritten signature “Atelier Dieulefit”
with an incised monogram “JP.”
Very good condition.
Height: 28 cm.
Width: 19.5 cm.
Neck diameter: 13.5 cm.
Base diameter: 15 cm.

After studying architecture in Paris,
Jacques Pouchain (1927–2015) settled in the southern
part of the Drôme department (he was born in Valence).
He acquired the art and appreciation ofceramics at the
Coursange pottery in Le Poët-Laval and established his “Atelier” in 1959
in Dieulefit, quickly turning his focus to artistic ceramics,
which would earn him international renown.
Jacques Pouchain established himself as a leading figure
in French ceramics; hiswork reflecting a
constant pursuit of purity and simplicity.
His style, deeply marked by a quest for balance
between geometric and organic forms, reflects astreamlined
approach to the material, where every curve
and every angle seems carefullyconsidered.
He favors raw surfaces, allowing the texture of the clay
to express itself freely, withoutartifice or excessive decoration.
Influenced by Cubism and modernism, Pouchain succeeds
in simplifying the lines of his creations, sometimes reaching
a degree of minimalist abstractionthat echoes
a profound reflection on form itself.
The understated glazes he appliessparingly enrich
his pieces with a subtle patina, playing on a limited palette
of natural tones (ochres, grays, and browns) that reinforce the
both authentic andtimeless character of his works.
This work, characterized by the use of white enamel
combined with manganese oxidemanganese oxide,
has earned him international recognition
(his works are exhibited atnumerous art fairs,
as well as in many museums in France and abroad).