Small Stoneware Pitcher – Cointreau Frères et Fils – Angers, c. 1900–1920

Small stoneware pitcher with a beautifully rounded form, made by Cointreau Frères et Fils in Angers, probably in the early 20th century, circa 1900–1920.

The piece has a particularly original silhouette, with a strongly curved pear-shaped body, topped by a rounded shoulder and a short neck finished with a broad rolled rim. The elegantly arched handle is seamlessly integrated into the body and follows the overall lines of the pitcher.

The decoration is based primarily on a remarkable interplay of glazes and flowing drips, in a palette of grey-blue, slate blue, celadon green, beige and brown. The lower section is covered with a finely speckled grey-blue glaze, while the upper part features irregular drips that naturally flow down the body. Variations in glaze thickness and firing effects give the surface a richly textured and nuanced appearance.

The deliberately free treatment of the decoration particularly highlights the material effects characteristic of stoneware from this period. Each drip and variation in colour results in part from the reaction of the glazes during firing, giving the piece its unique character.

The base bears the handwritten inscription “Cointreau Frères et Fils, Angers.” An antique piece, probably dating from the early 20th century, circa 1900–1920.