"three Men At The Plogonnec Cabaret" By Alfred Beau—porquier Beau Manufactory—brittany
Design No. 28 from the Porquier-Beau inventory.
The Porquier-Beau Manufactory (1872–1905) was founded in 1872 through a partnership between Mrs. Porquier and the painter Alfred Beau. Their collaboration gave rise to the famous earthenware paintings depicting Breton scenes—works as meticulous as they are picturesque. Also drawn to Japonism, Alfred Beau created several pieces that foreshadowed Art Nouveau in Brittany. The already high cost of these pieces led to the closure of the factory in 1905.
Alfred Beau (1829–1907):
A native of Morlaix, this exceptional artist distinguished himself through an innovative approach that involved developing, with remarkable technical virtuosity, a coherent body of work painted on ceramics dedicated to the theme of Brittany. Aware of the gradual decline of traditional Breton dress, he undertook, shortly after 1870, in collaboration with the Porquier factory in Quimper, to create a series of delicate paintings fired in a high-temperature kiln, with the assistance of students from the recently founded Quimper Museum of Fine Arts.
In 1884, he also contributed to the design of a Gallery of Breton Costumes at the Trocadéro Museum, where the strikingly realistic terracotta faces added the finishing touch to the ethnographic accuracy of the entire display. Considered the inventor of the “Breton genre,” he ended his career as curator of the Quimper Museum of Fine Arts
Period: 19th century
Style: Napoleon 3rd
Condition: Excellent condition
Material: Earthenware
Diameter: 23,5 cm
Reference (ID): 1838535
Availability: In stock
