Emile Gallé

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1. Vase (cyclamen design)

Emile Gallé

14. Vase (cyclamen design)

In the run up to the 1900 Paris Exposition, Emile Gallé was nominated to be vice-chair of a committee for a certain category.

However, he declined the position as he did not wish to exhibit as a state-appointed, unscreened participant; instead, he wished to be eligible for the various awards on offer, to show the world the art he had devoted himself to, and to earn even greater success.

One of the glass-making techniques Gallé developed for the Expo is known as “glass marquetry.”

In this technique, pre-prepared fragments of colored glass are applied to a still-molten glass object, and marvered into the surface.

Gallé also made wooden furniture, and is thought to have taken the idea of glass marquetry from wooden marquetry techniques.

In this work, Gallé has used marquetry to depict cyclamen flowers, leaves, and stems.

Extant photos show that he exhibited a similar vase at the 1900 Paris Exposition, which was entitled “Repose amid the solitude.”

2. Meadows at Bazincourt, Autumn

Camille Pissarro

2. Meadows at Bazincourt, Autumn

Camille Pissarro

Camille Pissarro was one of the central figures of Impressionism.

He resided in various small, country towns across France—such as Pontoise and Montfoucalt—before moving permanently in 1884 to Éragny, a small village on the banks of the River Epte, where he devoted himself to painting.

This oil painting depicts Bazincourt, a village that stands on the opposite bank of the Epte.

To the bottom of the painting, a female farm-hand can be seen gathering hay, while houses can be seen dotted in the distance.

In this tranquil rural scene, Pissarro captured various conditions, including the season, time of day, and the weather—the reddening leaves, for example, hint at the imminent autumn.

After moving to Éragny, Pissarro dabbled in pointillism, influenced by younger painters.

However, realizing that this technique prevented him from capturing the ever-changing forms of nature, and from expressing the emotion it inspired in him, he soon turned back to Impressionism.

The way the canvas is built up with dabs of paint harks back to his pointillist experiences.

3. Poetry of green

Kaii Higashiyama

3. Poetry of green

Kaii Higashiyama

Kaii Higashiyama has depicted a lakeside forest in an extended landscape format.

Reflected on the mirror-like surface of the water, the forest cocoons the horse in green.

Higashiyama described a scene in which the trees were budding all at once, the green of the forest was “on parade,” and a single white horse walked quietly from the left to the right of the picture plane.

It appeared to be drawing attention to something.

This painting marked the first time in 10 years that Higashiyama had drawn a white horse—the animal had last appeared in his “Landscapes with White Horse” series.

For Higashiyama, the white horse symbolized the fantastical, and added dynamism to his pictures.

The painting formed the basis for a stage curtain for the Imperial Theater, Tokyo, and was intended to provide pleasure for the audience as they waited for their shows to begin.

Since the design had to be transferred onto cloth, its colors and gradations have been somewhat simplified.

It was used as a stage curtain until 2012.

4. Vase（pine tree in the snow design）

Emile Gallé

4. Vase（pine tree in the snow design）

Emile Gallé

Émile Gallé often incorporated quotes from poetry—both modern and ancient—in his works.

At times, these quotes hinted at hidden themes or at his emotions, and were an attempt to make his works even more abundantly symbolic.

This drive toward enhanced symbolism stemmed from Gallé’s strong desire to raise the standing of glass art so that it stood side-by-side with more established arts such as painting and sculpture.

This vase consists of yellow-green uranium glass covered with white glass, then shaped into the form of an urn.

Gallé portrays the falling snow by adding a layer of white glass powder; he has etched the outline of the motifs on the surface, and drawn the pine cones and branches and needles in enamel.

The influence of Japanese art can be seen in Gallé’s choice of snow and pines as his subject and in his careful representation of snow.

In the body of the glass, Gallé has carved a line of poetry from “La reine du bal (the queen of the ball)” by Sully Prudhomme, a contemporary of Gallé’s.

“Tears of winter, like the tears of unfortunate people.”

It is as if these words, which compare the falling snow to tears, convey the cries of the pine as it seeks to hold out against the cold and withstand weight of the snow.

5. Vase (nut design)

Daum Frères

5. Vase (nut design)

Daum Frères

For the 1900 Paris World Expo, the Daum brothers turned to the ceramicist Ernest Bussière for inspiration, using his ceramic designs in their glass art.

Like the Daum brothers, Bussière was also working in Nancy, and his use of plants in the very shape of his works had a great influence on the Daum brothers’ own approach to form.

It is also worth noting that Emile Gallé, perhaps the leading glass maker in France at that time, was also incorporating flowers and buds into the shapes of his glass works.

Before long, the Daum brothers were using glass appliqué to incorporate three-dimensional depictions of insects and plants in their works.

In this work, what appears to be the leaves and fruit of the medlar tree have been depicted in three dimensions.

The leaves that have been fused on to the base glass are green; the leaves that have been etched away are red and yellow.

In autumn, the leaves of the medlar tree turn red, and its fruit ripens.

The Daum brothers have sought to represent the seasonal changes of the tree and, in so doing, demonstrate a very Japanese sensibility.

6. Wind

Matazo Kayama

6. Wind

Matazo Kayama

This work depicts a Himalayan cat, and shares a similar composition to “Oto (Sound),” which Matazo Kayama also painted in 1982.

From its title, “Kaze (Wind),” we can infer that a slight breeze has blown in the painting.

The cat’s ears and whiskers are alert, its front legs and tail tense; though hidden by its long, soft fur, tension is also palpable in the arch of its back.

Kayama began painting cats in the 1960s.

He initially portrayed short-haired Siamese cats with nervous dabs of paint, but in the second half of the 1970s he started depicting Himalayans, and his harsh style gradually softened.

Nevertheless, he continued to paint the eyes of his cats a piercing blue, appearing to eye up prey with unchanging acuity.

7. Sound

Matazo Kayama

7. Sound

Matazo Kayama

This painting of a Himalayan cat shares a similar composition to “Gyo (Still),” which Matazo Kayama also painted in 1982.

Matazo Kayama initially painted short-haired Siamese cats, but switched his subject matter to long-haired Himalayans in the second half of the 1970s.

The body of the cat in this painting is a chestnut brown, but its face and legs and tail are a dark-brown, almost black color.

As if reacting to a sound, its ears are pricked, its tail part-raised, and its eyes straining to see.

By painting each hair individually, Kayama imbues his painting with a sense of realism; and although the body of the Himalayan appears chestnut-colored, a closer inspection reveals the use of gold pigment.

This is a simple composition in which a single cat is set against a dark background; however, the use of gold paint adds a decorative quality without being excessively gaudy.

8. Dancer in a blue tutu

Henri Matisse

8. Dancer in a blue tutu

Henri Matisse

A dancer in a blue tutu sits on a bench. Drawn in thick black lines, her crossed legs are depicted with greater vigor than her upper body and give off a sense of immense power.

A vase filled with purple and yellow flowers stands beside her, adding color to the scene.

In 1941, at the age of 71, Henri Matisse underwent major surgery.

Resulting complications meant that he was frequently bedbound, but this by no means diluted his creative passions.

Around this time, Matisse predominantly created charcoal and pencil drawings that he could draw from his bed, rather than the more physically demanding oil painting.

Even when painting in oils, he gradually simplified the elements he included, and the lines and speed of his brushwork becomes more noticeable.

Matisse painted this work in the year after his surgery.

In contrast to the imposing figure of the dancer, he captures the texture of the tutu through vigorous, rhythmic brushwork, so bringing a sense of nimbleness and energy to the canvas.

9. Emile Gallé’s Garden

Emile Gallé

9. Emile Gallé’s Garden

Emile Gallé

Emile Gallé had a powerful attraction to nature, and developed a unique form of expression that centered on plant and insect designs.

He created a vast garden at his home in Nancy, France, which housed greenhouses, wetlands, vegetable patches and orchards.

It is said to have contained close to 3,000 species of plants, including varieties indigenous to Japan.

Gallé found inspiration for his works in this treasure trove of wildlife, and also used it to learn more about the mysteries of nature.

The Emile Gallé Garden at the Simose Art Museum was designed to showcase the plants and flowers that appears in Gallé’s artworks.

Containing a pond, a pergola, and a boardwalk, it was also made to enable flora native to Hiroshima to flourish.

In spring, visitors can see Asian bleeding hearts and wallflowers bloom; in summer, East Asian yellow water lilies and other varieties of water lilies can be observed flowering on the pond; autumn crocuses reemerge to flower in autumn; in winter, daffodils color the water’s edge.

In the Emile Gallé Garden, visitors will no doubt chance upon butterflies and dragonflies; they are encouraged to enjoy nature, which exerted such a positive influence on Gallé and his works, to their hearts’ content.

Foreward

Foreword
The Simose Art Museum is pleased to present the exhibition “Emile Gallé: The Allure of His Ceramics.”

Emile Gallé (1846–1904) was a leading figure in French Art Nouveau, active from the late 19th to the early 20th century. His designs spanned three fields—glassware, ceramics, and wooden furniture—and are renowned for their organic ornamentation that draws upon natural forms such as plants and insects.

Our museum has previously held two exhibitions dedicated to Gallé—a key artist in our collection—exploring the allure of his glass and furniture. In this exhibition, held after a hiatus of approximately two years, we focus on Gallé’s ceramic works and trace the trajectory of his creative journey.

Gallé began designing ceramics early in his career while assisting his father, and even after taking over the family business, he devoted himself to devising new ceramic designs and developing decorative techniques.

However, his production in this medium became increasingly limited from the 1890s onwards. The period during which Gallé concentrated on ceramics coincided with his rise as a major artist, suggesting that his experiments with the medium played a crucial role in establishing his unique style.

This exhibition showcases over 100 works—including glassware and furniture alongside ceramics—while highlighting the influence of Japanese art and crafts, which served as a rich source of inspiration for Gallé, and examining the process by which he incorporated these elements.

The ceramic works featured in this exhibition were formerly housed at the Matsue Kitahori Museum in Matsue city, Shimane Prefecture. We have now assumed custody of this valuable collection of over 150 pieces and are delighted to present them to the public. We hope this exhibition serves as an opportunity to convey the importance and significance of this collection to all our visitors.

Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the realization of this exhibition, particularly Mr. Susumu Nakamura, Director of the Matsue Kitahori Museum, as well as all others who provided their invaluable support in various ways.

September 2026
Simose Art Museum

Prologue: The Culmination of Gallé’s Art in the Simose Collection

Born in 1846 in Nancy, in the Lorraine region of northeastern France, Emile Gallé took over the glass and ceramics manufacturing business run by his artisan father. He went on to establish a unique artistic vision spanning three fields: glass, ceramics, and furniture.

At the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, he won Grand Prix awards in both the glass and furniture categories, becoming a celebrated figure of his era.

We begin by presenting examples of Gallé’s later glass and furniture works, which are highlights of our museum’s collection. Gallé drew inspiration from the forms of nature, such as plants and insects. A heart-shaped vessel modeled after the bleeding-heart flower possesses a powerful, sculptural form.

Meanwhile, the decorative motifs—capturing the fleeting nature of the ink cap mushroom (which dissolves into ink-like fluid overnight) and surrounding withered leaves—reveal a Japanese sensibility that finds beauty in the transience of the natural world.

How did Gallé arrive at such a pinnacle of artistic expression? This exhibition explores the trajectory of his creative journey through his ceramic works.

Chapter Ⅰ, Part 1: From Charles to Emile—Early Ceramic Works

Emile Gallé’s father, Charles Gallé (1818–1902), ran a business dealing in glassware and ceramics, commissioning production from various workshops based on vessel shapes and designs he had created himself.

His style was rooted in traditional European aesthetics, encompassing sophisticated pieces such as plates featuring delicate floral paintings on a white ground.

It appears that Gallé began working on ceramic designs as his father’s collaborator around 1864, even before graduating from the Lycée Imperiale de Nancy.

Works from this period include plates bearing the coat of arms of his hometown, Nancy, or heraldic-style monograms, as well as tableware sets depicting proverbs and fables from the Lorraine region through floral and insect motifs; these pieces offer a glimpse of how he developed the traditional aesthetic sense inherited from his father through his own playful creativity.

Having honed his skills under his father’s guidance, Gallé took over the management of the company in 1877, thereby stepping onto the public stage.

ChapterⅠ, Part 2: Gallé’ｓ Hometown, Nancy

In July 1870, the Franco-Prussian War broke out after France declared war on Prussia (present-day Germany).

Gallé volunteered to serve in the conflict, but France was defeated the following year and forced to cede part of the Alsace-Lorraine region.

This had a significant impact on the Gallé family business; for instance, the factory in Meisenthal—a crucial subcontractor for their glass production—fell under German rule.

Witnessing the tragedy that befell his homeland deepened Gallé’s patriotism. He incorporated motifs such as the Cross of Lorraine—a symbol of the region—and Joan of Arc（1412-1431）—a heroine who saved the nation in France—into his work, using them to represent the spirit of resistance and the desire to reclaim the lost territory.

Many of Gallé’s ceramic pieces also draw inspiration from the prints of Jacques Callot (1592–1635), an artist who hailed from Lorraine.

Callot, too, had lived through an era of war and keenly depicted the social conditions of his time.

These works likely reflect not only Gallé’s respect for a great fellow artist from his home region but also his deep love for his homeland and his sentiments regarding war.

ChapterⅡ, Part 1: Gallé’s Exoticism

Gallé’s ceramics feature decorative motifs inspired by cultures perceived as exotic from a French perspective—such as the “Egyptian-style jardiniere” modeled after falcon feathers and an “Ashtrey” depicting Native Americans.

In 19th-century France, the policy of colonial expansion fueled growing interest in North Africa and the Middle East; furthermore, the latter half of the century saw increased opportunities to encounter foreign cultures through events like the World Exposition.

The art world also reflected this trend of embracing diverse cultures, most notably through the phenomenon of Japonisme.

While discussions of Gallé’s work often highlight his connection to Japanese arts and crafts, he actually explored new forms of expression with great avidity, incorporating influences from a wide range of cultures—including those of Persia, the Islamic world, Egypt, and China.

Here, before addressing the subject of Japonisme, we focus on the foreign cultures that interested Gallé and the influence they exerted on his work.

ChapterⅡ, Part 2: The Impact of「Hokusai Manga」

Among Gallé’s works dating from the late 1870s to the mid-1880s, several feature designs that appear to be copied from motifs found in “Hokusai Manga”—a collection of sketches by the late-Edo period ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849).

Regarding the connection between Gallé and “Hokusai Manga”, it is known that volumes 7 and 14 of the series were included in his personal library—now held by his descendants—confirming that he actually possessed at least some of the volumes.

However, many details remain unclear, such as when and where he acquired them or how he might have encountered other volumes in the series.

In France, imagery from “Hokusai Manga” had already permeated industrial design by an early stage; for instance, designs from the work were cited in the 1859 publication “Recueil de dessins pour l’art et l’industrie” (Collection of Designs for Art and Industry) by Adalbert de Beaumont and Eugène-Victor Collinot.

Consequently, the possibility that Gallé became familiar with “Hokusai Manga” imagery indirectly through such design manuals—and incorporated those motifs into his own work—cannot be entirely ruled out.

On the other hand, “Hokusai Manga” was exhibited by Japan at the 1867 Paris Exposition. Gallé spent six months in Paris at that time assisting his father with the family’s exhibition entry, making it highly probable that he saw “Hokusai Manga” at the venue.

ChapterⅡ, Part 3: Gallé’s Japonisme

Gallé was deeply inspired after encountering Japanese arts and crafts at the 1867 Paris Exposition, and he demonstrated a keen interest in Japanese culture—even beginning to collect such objects in the 1870s.

However, he did not immediately sublimate elements derived from Japanese artifacts into his own unique style.

He began by directly copying and imitating vessel shapes and decorative motifs, gradually progressing to create works in an eclectic style that combined these with Western designs.

For instance, the decorative vessel “Fan-shaped ornamental plate, ‘A hen suddenly appeared, and then the fight began’” features numerous Japanese elements, such as arabesque patterns and *seigaiha* (stylized wave) motifs.

At the same time, the narrative depicted by the two roosters and one hen painted in the center is drawn from the fables of Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1659)—stories Gallé had incorporated into his tableware designs since his early career.

Furthermore, the emergence of works like the “Pair of lion-shaped candlesticks”—originally painted in a single blue tone but later decorated with Imari-style motifs—reveals how Gallé steadily integrated the influence of Japanese art into his own creations.

Chapter Ⅲ, Part 1: From Japonisme to Nature 1

During his time at the Imperial Lycée in Nancy, Gallé formed a close friendship with René Zeiller (1847–1915)—whose grandfather was an avid plant enthusiast—and devoted himself to collecting plants and creating specimens under the guidance of a renowned botanist.

His interest in plants would eventually lead to research and activities as a botanist from the 1870s onwards.

The keen eye for nature that Gallé cultivated in this way was reflected in his creative work from an early stage, such as in the designs of his initial tableware sets.

Later, as he encountered Japanese arts and crafts, Gallé likely resonated with the unique Japanese sensibility and aesthetic—one characterized by a close relationship between people and nature.

Over time, his work evolved beyond mere imitation or quotation of Japanese art; it shifted toward a style that placed even greater emphasis on natural forms, such as plants and insects.

Here, we present Gallé’s efforts to elevate his work to a new level by fusing his innate perspective on nature with Japanese elements.

Chapter Ⅲ, Part 2: From Japonisme to Nature 2

The tableware featured here—centered on plates—belongs to a set known as the “Service Floral” (created around 1881) and related works.

While these pieces are decorated with various floral motifs, the flowers and stems are stylized rather than rendered realistically.

Regarding the color palette, the flowers are typically painted in red while the stems and leaves are in blue; the background features Japanese-style clouds created by applying gold with a sponge.

This combination of red, blue, and gold reflects the influence of Imari ware, and the decoration process required three separate firings.

Among the tableware sets created by Gallé, this series stands out as a remarkable embodiment of his keen eye for nature, his interest in Japanese art, and his artistic originality.

The Musée d’Orsay holds a total of twenty-eight floral design drawings believed to be associated with this set, and nineteen of these designs are on display in this exhibition.

Chapter 4: Gallé—The Maturation of His Ceramic Art

Entering the 1880s, Gallé’s ceramics underwent dramatic technical evolution.

He produced a succession of works incorporating innovative techniques—such as the development of a lustrous black enamel, the application of glassmaking skills to ceramic production, and the creation of wares resembling stoneware (a type of pottery with properties intermediate between earthenware and porcelain), which he termed the “artistic stoneware type,” as exemplified by the “Small Bowl”.

At the 1889 Paris Exposition, Gallé achieved immense acclaim—winning a gold medal in ceramics, the Grand Prix in glass, and a silver medal in furniture—thereby cementing his reputation as an artist.

The award for furniture came shortly after he had begun working in that medium, demonstrating his talent across multiple disciplines.

Yet, he may have harbored private anguish over the fact that his ceramics did not garner the same level of acclaim as his glasswork.

Following his final submission to the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1892, he ceased developing new ceramic designs or techniques.

“Service ‘Seafood’”, created in 1902 for the wedding of his eldest daughter Thérèse, is considered to be the last ceramic work he produced.

Here, we present a selection of works created during the 1880s—a period that can be regarded as the prime of Gallé’s ceramic artistry.

Epilogue: Art Nouveau in the Japanese traditional alcove—Gallé’s Japonisme Alive Today

Most of the Gallé ceramics featured in this exhibition come from the collection of the Matsue Kitahori Museum in Shimane Prefecture; our museum has now assumed responsibility for housing and displaying this collection.

The museum deserves immense credit for recognizing the value of Gallé’s ceramics early on—at a time when the artist was primarily known in Japan for his glasswork—and for building a comprehensive collection that spans his entire career, from his early days to his final years.

A particularly noteworthy aspect of this collection is that it allows us to trace—through the works themselves—the influence Japan had on Gallé and the process by which he sublimated that influence into his own creative output.

For our museum, this represents a significant opportunity to share the work and appeal of Gallé—a key artist in our own holdings—with a wider audience.

In keeping with Gallé’s philosophy of “democratizing art”—that is, his hope that his works would become an indispensable part of people’s daily lives—, the Matsue Kitahori Museum did not merely display these ceramics as art objects; they also incorporated them into the “tokonoma” (alcove) of their adjoining tea room, often using them as vessels for flower arrangements.

By integrating Gallé’s work into the aesthetic traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony and “ikebana”(flower arranging)—specifically the concepts of “wabi-sabi”—they sought to deepen their understanding of the sentiments imbued in the pieces.

To pay tribute to these efforts, the exhibition concludes with a display designed to evoke the atmosphere of that tea room.

Collection Exhibition－Starting with Gallé’s Work　Chapter I Encountering Colors

We will now introduce works from our museum’s collection, taking the creations of Emile Gallé as our starting point.

One of the compelling aspects of Gallé’s work is the encounter with striking colors—colors that shift depending on the light and the viewing angle. Whether in ceramics or glass, a look across his artworks from his early days to his final years reveals a dramatic evolution in the richness of his palette. His work embodies the fruits of ceaseless experimentation with glazes, enamels, glass coloration, and the textural effects associated with these techniques.

The “Vase” on display is believed to be a study created for the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle; its decoration relies solely on the color of the glaze and the pattern. The blue hue makes a powerful impression while retaining a depth that preserves an air of elegance.

Taking this distinctive blue as a point of departure, we present works by Japanese painters Kaii Higashiyama (1908–1999) and Gensō Okuda (1912–2003)—both known for depicting natural landscapes with unique color palettes—as well as the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro (1830–1903), a contemporary of Gallé who sought to capture the ever-shifting nuances of light through the layering of small brushstrokes.

Collection Exhibition－Starting with Gallé’s Work　Chapter II Snow, Moon, and Blossoms (Setsugekka)

Gallé’s “Jardiniere”—a ceramic piece featuring a unique, ring-like shape—is believed to be modeled after Japanese crafts; its surface is adorned with Japanese-style painted motifs such as plants and insects. The golden surface lining the inner edge of the ring, combined with its subdued luster, evokes the image of a crescent moon.

Meanwhile, “Islands Above Endless Frontier” by New York-based contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyama (b. 1976) also features a circular void cut out from a shaped canvas. While this element serves primarily to stimulate the viewer’s imagination—leaving interpretation entirely up to them—the form can appear crescent-like depending on the viewing angle.

Matsuyama is known for a technique in which he draws upon diverse motifs from paintings and popular culture—spanning different eras and regions—and reconstructs them to compose his images. He particularly focuses on the concept of “Setsu-getsu-ka”(Snow, Moon, and Flowers)—a theme originating in a poem by the Chinese poet Bai Juyi that also signifies the seasonal beauty of nature in Japan.

In this exhibition, we present works such as “Nihonga”(Japanese-style paintings) depicting the changing seasons, using the motifs of “snow,” “moon,” and “flowers”—found in the works of both Gallé and Matsuyama—as a starting point.

Collection Exhibition－Starting with Gallé’s Work　Chapter III Emerging Afterimages

Gallé’s ceramic “Ornamental plate” is believed to draw upon the Rococo (or rocaille) style that flourished in 18th-century France; it is a striking piece characterized by forms defined by free-flowing curves.

Rather than featuring painted figurative motifs, the central area is decorated with overlapping colors created by enamel pigments that have melted into the glaze—a design that stirs the viewer’s imagination. One might discern in these patterns the ebb and flow of waves or the atmosphere of a twilight sky.

“Sea”—a major oil painting from the later years of Western-style painter Hiroshi Kanosue (1927–1991)—consists of four large panels. At first glance, the work appears abstract, with splashes of white, blue, and yellow paint set against a dark, predominantly black background; however, the scene of a night sea with rising spray gradually emerges.

Kanosue often used the term “Emerging afterimages” to describe his creative process, in which he spun new imagery through analogy based on the colors and shapes appearing on the canvas. “Sea” stands as a true embodiment of this approach.

Furthermore, Kanosue—who openly loved music and admired Debussy—appears to have conceived this work with the composer Claude Debussy’s (1862–1918) symphonic work “La Mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestra” in mind.

It is worth noting that Gallé, too, had a deep interest in music—having taken piano lessons from a young age—and incorporated musical elements into his own creative works.

Collection Exhibition－Starting with Gallé’s Work　Chapter IV The Transient Brilliancy of Life

“The Footed Cup (mayfly design)” features a myriad of mayflies carved into the surface of the vessel. Having spent their larval stage underwater, mayflies emerge en masse and take flight from the water’s surface to ensure the survival of their species.

True to Gallé’s background as a botanist with a keen eye for nature, the work captures that very moment when these tiny lives are teeming with vitality.

Sam Falls (b. 1984) is an American contemporary artist whose diverse creative practice is grounded in the fundamental principles of photography and engages in symbiosis with the local natural environment.

“Miyajima Dragonfly” was created in the autumn of 2025 in the forest surrounding the primeval woods of Miyajima, located right across from our museum. Falls employs a unique technique in which he spreads a canvas outdoors, arranges local flora—such as flowers, branches, and leaves—upon it, applies dye, and exposes the work to sunlight, rain, and wind.

Through this process, he attempts to capture the local environment, memories, and sensory experiences, as well as the fleeting lives of the ever-changing flora and nature itself, onto the canvas.

In this final section, we present a selection of works centered on the art of Gallé and Falls—both lovers of nature—exploring the theme of the vibrancy of life.

Column: Gallé’s Ceramics Production System

Gallé did not personally carry out every step of the pottery manufacturing process; his role was to design the shapes and decorations. Based on Gallé’s designs, unglazed ceramic blanks—known as “blanc”(meaning “colorless” or “plain”)—were produced by external factories.

Subsequently, artisans in a workshop under Gallé’s supervision performed the decorative work, such as glazing and painting. This was the production process by which Gallé’s pottery was created.

This business model, inherited from the time of his father Charles, was known at the time as “éditeur” (publisher/producer), a role shared by several other contemporaries. Gallé employed a similar system for his glasswork.

However, this manufacturing arrangement often caused trouble for the Gallé family; there were instances where external factories would process Gallé’s “blanc” designs without authorization to manufacture and sell products themselves.

Gallé eventually built his own factory in Nancy to handle the entire production process—from creating the “blanc” to the final decoration—in-house, though this transition did not occur until 1885 for pottery and 1894 for glass. Notably, furniture production, which began around 1884, was carried out entirely within his own factory.

Column: Japonisme and World Expositions

World’s Expositions played a major role in the spread of Japonisme in France.

Since the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and France in 1858, Japanese art and crafts had been entering France, and a handful of enthusiasts had already begun collecting them. However, the catalyst that brought them to the attention of the general public was the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, in which Japan participated officially for the first time.

Exhibits were presented by the Edo Shogunate as well as domains such as Satsuma and Saga, introducing a vast array of items—ranging from paintings like “Hokusai Manga” and “ukiyo-e” prints to crafts such as swords, ceramics, and “maki-e” lacquerware. The craze for things Japanese, ignited in this way, expanded further during the 1870s.

In 1872, the art critic Philippe Burty (1830–1890) became the first to use the term “Japonisme” in a scholarly context within a six-part magazine series. It was also during this period that Claude Monet, a leading French Impressionist painter, created “La Japonaise” (1876, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), a work featuring his first wife dressed in Japanese attire.

Amidst this trend, the 1878 Paris Exposition marked a peak in the enthusiasm for Japanese aesthetics; by this time, the Japanese government had gained considerable experience exhibiting at world fairs since the Meiji Restoration and presented a highly impressive display, including winning the Grand Prix in the ceramics category.

Gallé also participated in the 1867 and 1878 Paris Expositions; seeing Japanese art and crafts firsthand likely served as a major source of inspiration for him.

Subsequently, as the 1880s began, the movement shifted toward attempts to systematize knowledge about Japan and a desire for a deeper understanding, while the number of art dealers specializing in Japanese art increased. Vincent van Gogh, a collector of ukiyo-e prints, painted “Le Père Tanguy” (1887, Musée Rodin, Paris)—a work known as a masterpiece of Japonisme—during his time in Paris.

Column: Japonisme and Craftsmanship in France

“Industrial art, lacking insight, relies entirely on resources that have existed since ancient times… adding nothing—or almost nothing—of its own.”
—Ernest Guichard, 1867 *1

These words were written by Ernest Guichard (1815–1889), President of the Central Union of Industrial Arts (Union centrale des beaux-arts appliqués à l’industrie) in France, in his report on French exhibits at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle.

Observing the fair, he felt a sense of crisis regarding the failure of French industrial art to evolve beyond outdated styles, and he criticized this state of affairs.

To remedy this issue, Guichard advocated using “nature” as a model. Japanese craftsmanship was looked to as a practical example of this approach.

Indeed, in 1869, the art critic Ernest Chesneau (1833–1899) praised Japanese art in a lecture titled “Japanese Art,” noting that “the Japanese possess—and put into practice—infallible principles for transforming the elements provided by nature into decorative art, far more effectively than we do” (*2).

Gallé’s incorporation of natural elements into his ceramic works certainly stemmed from his own profound insight into nature and his keen powers of observation; at the same time, however, he may well have been conscious of the stagnation in French craftsmanship at the time and of Japanese art—an art form that embraced nature—as a solution to that problem.

*1 Keiko Teramoto, The Paris Exposition Universelle and the Birth of Japonisme (Shibunkaku Shuppan, 2017), p. 212.
*2 Ibid., p. 214.