René Lalique – “martigues” Bowl No. 377 – Opalescent Glass – Design Created In 1920

A large and spectacular "Martigues" goblet by René Lalique, model no. 377, created in 1920.

The Martigues model belongs to one of the most significant periods in René Lalique’s career, when the famous Art Nouveau jeweler devoted himself increasingly to glass and became one of the great masters of French Art Deco.

Water and the marine world are recurring themes in Lalique’s work. On the Martigues bowl, twelve fish in motion form a continuous circular composition around the basin. The deeply molded relief of the fish creates a remarkable impression of movement when the piece is viewed from different angles.

The design comes into its own in the opalescent glass, a material that Lalique began using in the early 1920s. The varying thicknesses of the molded glass create beautiful bluish, white, and translucent effects that change depending on the direction and intensity of the light.

The bowl, circular in shape and shallow, is particularly large, with a diameter of approximately 36.5 cm. It rests on three solid-cast feet.

This model is thoroughly documented in René Lalique’s body of work. It appears under number 377 in the 1932 René Lalique & Cie catalog and is reproduced in Félix Marcilhac’s reference work, René Lalique – Catalogue Raisonné of Glass Works, no. 377, p. 290. An example of the Martigues bowl is also held in the collections of the Chrysler Museum of Art.

Signature:
Molded mark “R. LALIQUE” and incised inscription “France”.

Dimensions:
Diameter: approximately 36.5 cm.

Condition:
Good overall condition considering its age. Scratches and signs of wear are present on the bottom of the bowl, as well as a very small chip on the rim. No cracks or restoration observed.

Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the condition report.

Bibliography:
Félix Marcilhac, René Lalique – Catalogue Raisonné of Glass Works, model no. 377, p. 290.
René Lalique & Cie, Catalog of René Lalique’s Glassworks, 1932, plate 32, no. 377.