Fish and Oyster Plates with Drip Glaze from Vallauris, Set of 3

Majolica-style oyster plate or seafood platter by Vallauris Faience with a traditional-style impressed design but a distinctly midcentury decor of ‘fat-lava’ glazes. The earthenware shape underneath the glazes shows a typical impressed design of sea-motifs; corals, scallop, fish and lobster. The body has then been covered with a background of earthy tints, blue and brown glazes which give natural depth, and then finally, drip-glaze highlights have been added by hand to represent the seaweed and underwater life. They combine into a dramatic and intriguing combination of naturalistic and figurative techniques. The potteries of Vallauris in the south of France are associated with the work of Pablo Picasso, who moved to the town in 1948, built his ‘Temple of Peace’ there in 1952, and whose presence inspired the Renaissance of the local pottery industry. Made by the craftsmen of Vallauris, this unusual item is completely undamaged (and notably the handle, shaped as lemon is also in perfect condition). This piece of French Provincial ceramics is intended to work as an ideal centerpiece or focus of attention on a seafood buffet, whether it is filled with oysters, seafood, shallots, or sauces.