Paul Nicolas, Known As D’argental: Multilayer Glass Goblet Decorated With Water Lilies, Signed P. Nicolas

Paul Nicolas, known as d’Argental – Multilayer glass goblet with water lily design, signed P. Nicolas Nancy – Art Nouveau

A very beautiful multilayered glass bowl decorated with water lilies, created by Paul Nicolas (1875–1952), known as d’Argental, a master glassmaker from the École de Nancy and a former collaborator of Émile Gallé.

The bowl features an elegant ovoid shape resting on a small pedestal, with a naturalistic design of blooming water lilies and broad leaves, rendered in deep shades of purple, red, and violet against an amber-yellow background.

The design, etched and acid-etched, offers beautiful contrasts between the different layers of glass. Light passes through the lighter areas and particularly highlights the flowers and foliage, giving the piece great depth.

This work bears the signature “P. Nicolas Nancy,” the personal signature adopted by Paul Nicolas beginning in the mid-1920s. These late works, signed with his own name, reflect his personal artistic exploration and evolution, marked by an increasingly assertive stylization and a high level of mastery in etching and glassworking techniques.

This personal signature is of particular interest to Paul Nicolas enthusiasts and collectors, as it corresponds to the period when the artist was developing his work under his own name, alongside his pieces marketed under the D’Argental label. The École de Nancy Museum highlights the quality, originality, and inventiveness of this personal body of work, which constitutes a significant part of the oeuvre of this great glass artist from Lorraine.

A refined and highly decorative piece, combining the poetry of the water lily motif—emblematic of the École de Nancy—with Paul Nicolas’s rich color palette and technical mastery.