Details
'L'ETERNAL DEBAT', A FINE AND RARE WHEEL-CARVED HYALITE GLASS VASE
BY EMILE GALLE, CIRCA 1890
The bulbous body tapering to a short cylindrical neck, finely wheel-carved in medium relief to depict a menacing pterodactyl challenging an intaglio carved pelican hovering above, with partial martele ground, engraved Galle--5¾in.(14.4cm.) high
cf. Philippe Garner, Emile Galle, Academy Editions, London, 1976, p. 130 for illustration of this model, p. 129 for a discussion of the symbolism Galle commonly used in his artistic pieces. In this case it is the struggle between good and evil; evil is represented by the dark pterodactyl and struggles with the lighter intaglio carved pelican which represents goodness. Galle introduced his verres hyalites at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. These vases all make use of an extrodinary black glass, featuring an iridescence caused by the presence of iron peroxide in the glass-making process. By 1902, such vases had been renamed vases de tristesse, because of their sober subject matter, dealing with basic issues of good and evil, life and death, as illustrated in "L'Eternal Debat".
BY EMILE GALLE, CIRCA 1890
The bulbous body tapering to a short cylindrical neck, finely wheel-carved in medium relief to depict a menacing pterodactyl challenging an intaglio carved pelican hovering above, with partial martele ground, engraved Galle--5¾in.(14.4cm.) high
cf. Philippe Garner, Emile Galle, Academy Editions, London, 1976, p. 130 for illustration of this model, p. 129 for a discussion of the symbolism Galle commonly used in his artistic pieces. In this case it is the struggle between good and evil; evil is represented by the dark pterodactyl and struggles with the lighter intaglio carved pelican which represents goodness. Galle introduced his verres hyalites at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. These vases all make use of an extrodinary black glass, featuring an iridescence caused by the presence of iron peroxide in the glass-making process. By 1902, such vases had been renamed vases de tristesse, because of their sober subject matter, dealing with basic issues of good and evil, life and death, as illustrated in "L'Eternal Debat".