GALLE EMILE: (1846-1904) ‘….is it not fair that my work….is represented in an important collection like yours, by ...

GALLE EMILE: (1846-1904) ‘….is it not fair that my work….is represented in an important collection like yours, by an object essentially typical of my style?’

GALLE EMILE: (1846-1904) French artist and designer who worked in glass and is considered one of the major innovators in the French Art Nouveau movement. A.L.S., with his initials E. G., one page, 4to, Nancy, 19^th August 1889, to Alfred de Lostalot, in French. Galle consents to an etching being published in the gazette, and advises on the caption, continuing ‘Maintenant, pour me recompenser de cette concession a mon sentiment intime, tachez donc, mon cher Monsieur de Lostalot, de me presenter de profil, a vos lecteurs, dans une 2e eau-forte........n'est-il pas juste que mon oeuvre, dont le sens a ete precise par plusiers critiques depuis quelque temps, soit representee dans un recueil important comme le votre, par un objet essentiellement typique de ma maniere? C'est a dire le rendu de textes poetiques par des colorations vitrifiees, et sous la forme de plantes et floraison symboliques? Ces figurations vegetales sont plus frequentes sur mes vases, la figure humaine me paraissant moins propre a revetir un texte mysterieux et sensitif. Le vase monte par Mr Froment-Meurice n'est de moi que par la matiere; la forme japonaise m'a ete imposee par une maison de Paris qui l'a gravee elle-meme d'un ornement sans signification particuliere. Il ne doit meme pas porter ma signature, car M. F. Meurice n'a sur la provenance que par un chemin, n'a aucun droit a prendre la place, dans la gazette, de telle oeuvre parachevee par moi avec amour, infusee d'une petite ame sensible. Publiez la donc comme piece d'orfevrerie, comme un ideal et precieux bijoux mais comme Froment-Meurice, sans mettre Galle en jeu pour si peu et trahir d'autre part la veritable maniere’ (Translation: ‘Now, to reward me for this concession to my private feelings, try, my dear Monsieur de Lostalot, to present me in profile, to your readers, in a second etching…….is it not fair that my work, the meaning of which has been clarified by several critics for some time, is represented in an important collection like yours, by an object essentially typical of my style? That is to say the rendering of poetic texts through glazed colourings, and in the form of symbolic plants and flowers? These plant representations are more frequent on my vases, the human figure seems to me less suited to covering a mysterious and sensitive text. The vase assembled by Mr. Froment-Meurice is mine only in terms of the material; the Japanese form was imposed on me by a house in Paris which itself engraved it with an ornament without any particular meaning. It should not even bear my signature, because M. F. Meurice only has one way of knowing the provenance, has no right to take the place, in the gazette, of such a work completed by me with love, infused with a little soul. Publish it therefore as a piece of goldwork, as an ideal and precious jewel but as Froment-Meurice without putting Galle at stake for so little and also betraying the true manner’). A letter of interesting content. The letter is annotated in Galle’s hand to the upper left corner ‘Duplicata de ma letter a Mr. de Lostalot’ and was presumably therefore his own retained copy. Some very light, minor age toning and a few very small tears to the edges, otherwise VG

Alfred de Lostalot (1837-1909) French art critic and designer, editor-in-chief of the Gazette des Beaux Arts.

Emile Froment-Meurice (1837-1913) French goldsmith with the Maison Froment-Meurice, son of Francois-Desire Froment-Meurice (1802-1855) French goldsmith who worked in a free and naturalistic manner in the tradition of Mannerist and Baroque masters. In 1888 Emile Froment-Meurice had designed and executed the Paris Tiara which was presented to Pope Leo XIII by the people of Paris to commemorate his Golden Jubilee as a priest.