Vase des Binelles

This vase (produced in the S�vres Manufactory, weight 39 kg) is an extraordinary feat of Art Nouveau ceramics by the French architect Hector Guimard, who designed the iconic Paris M�tro entrances. Monumental in scale, the Vase des Binelles has an architectural presence and an organic form. The curvilinear handles are evocative of the ornate cast-iron elements of Guimard’s buildings. The specialized crystalline glaze, developed at the end of the nineteenth century, features iridescent crystal particles that create a sparkling effect. Only five examples of this model were made.