The Ceramic Works of Rouault and the Fauvists

Exhibition Overview

From 1906 to 1911, the studio on the outskirts of Paris run by the ceramic artist André Metthey served as a stage for the blending of painting and ceramic art that entranced a generation of young, revolutionary artists.

In France at the beginning of the 20th century, artists such as Georges Rouault, Henri Matisse, and Andre Derain were exploring new forms of expression as part of a group that would become known as les Fauves (French for “the wild beasts”). This exhibition presents, for the first time in Japan, a collection of decorated ceramics created by the Fauvists, and also introduces the life and works of the ceramic artist André Metthey, who played a key role in cultivating the Fauvists' interest in ceramics.

The Fauvists were first named as a group when their boldly colored paintings were exhibited at the 1905 Salon d’Automne*. At the time, these artists were also showing increasing interest in decorated ceramics. It was an era when artists were trying to bring art and lifestyles together, and the Fauvists—who were more experimental by nature—were drawn to ceramics, which promised the kind of vivid colors, bright materials and textures, and bold decorations that they favored. Championed by the art dealer Ambroise Vollard and driven by the passion of André Metthey, the group worked with plates and vases provided by Metthey to create distinctive decorated ceramics marked by bold expression and masterful execution. The new decorativeness and vivid colors of these works enchanted many critics and collectors.

This exhibition focuses on a relatively narrow time frame, bringing together works produced by the group from 1906 to 1911. There is a special focus on Rouault, whose foray into ceramics was particularly noteworthy, and Metthey, a ceramic artist who is still today largely unknown. About 140 individual pieces are presented, including ceramics, sketches, oil paintings, and watercolors. Together, they bring into focus an oft-neglected side of the Fauvism movement, one that is deeply connected to visual and decorative art at the turn of the 20th century. As there are very few Fauvist ceramic works or Metthey’s ceramic works that are owned in Japan, about 70 pieces have been brought from France for the very first time to deliver this unique opportunity.

* The Salon d’Automne was a French art exhibition. It was first held in 1903 as a reaction to more conservative salons, and showcased works by artists such as Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault, and Albert Marquet. The salon is still held every autumn in Paris, with categories for painting, sculpture, and decorative art.