Large French Ceramic Dish with Abstract Blue Bands, circa 1970

This large glazed ceramic dish commands attention at once through the power of its chromatic composition. The face is divided into three horizontal bands of near-architectural clarity: the upper portion in deep violet-blue with rich inner reflections; a narrow central band in unglazed raw clay whose beige-ochre texture reveals the material in its natural state; and the lower third covered in a luminous, vibrant turquoise. This tripartite organisation of pure colours, separated by crisp lines, evokes both the colour field painting of the American school and the Mediterranean faïence tradition.

The relationship between the glazed areas and the raw clay band is particularly controlled: far from being a mere technical incident, this contrast between the brilliance of the glaze and the roughness of unglazed clay is asserted as an integral compositional element. This attention to material in its raw state, characteristic of French studio ceramicists of the 1960s and 1970s, reflects a constant dialogue between craft and contemporary art.

The 1960s and 1970s saw an explosion of studio ceramics in France, driven by artists who combined technical mastery with plastic ambition. The generous scale of this piece — 44 cm in diameter, 8.5 cm deep — makes it an object for wall presentation or a console table rather than a simple serving dish; it is, in all respects, a work in its own right.

In fine general condition, the glaze is intact and the colours retain their original intensity. As powerful on a wall as it is set on a console — a piece that asserts a strong chromatic presence in any interior, historic or contemporary.