Emile Gallé, Art Nouveau pâte de verre vase with lily design, ca 1900

Emile Gallé, born in Nancy in 1846, was a French master glassmaker, cabinetmaker and ceramist, and an emblematic figure of the Art Nouveau movement. The son of an earthenware manufacturer, he studied botany, mineralogy and drawing, crucial influences on his work. In 1874, he took over the family business and concentrated on glassmaking, developing innovative techniques such as multi-layered glass and glass marquetry. He presented his creations at the Universal Exhibition of 1889, winning a gold medal. In 1901, Gallé founded the à‰cole de Nancy, a group of artists and industrialists dedicated to Art Nouveau. His works are characterised by naturalistic motifs and poetic inscriptions. Gallé is also known for his inlaid wood furniture, often decorated with flowers and insects. His ceramic production was less prolific, but just as innovative. Stricken with leukaemia, he continued to work until his death in 1904. His artistic legacy lives on, with his work exhibited in many museums around the world. Gallé is celebrated for his crucial role in the development of Art Nouveau, combining art and nature with exceptional technical mastery.