Lot Essay
Gallé introduced his verres hyalites at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. These vases make use of an extraordinary 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 often symbolist subject matter.
cf. Philippe Garner, Emile Gallé, Academy Editions, London, 1976, p. 129 for a discussion of the symbolism Gallé commonly used in these artistic pieces.
cf. Philippe Garner, Emile Gallé, Academy Editions, London, 1976, p. 129 for a discussion of the symbolism Gallé commonly used in these artistic pieces.