Glazed stoneware sculpture by Alexandre Kostanda in Vallauris - 1950s

A unique glazed stoneware sculpture created by Alexandre Kostanda , a figure from the golden age of Vallauris, in the 1950s.

Of Polish origin, Alexandre Kostanda settled in Vallauris in 1929. Trained at a very young age in ceramics in the Louis Giraud workshop, where his mother Irène was a decorator, he learned the trade there before becoming in turn a trainer and teacher in ceramics in Biot, Mâcon, Cluny and Beaune after the Second World War.

A committed figure in the French ceramics scene, he participated in the founding of the Accolay factory in 1945 and played a key role in structuring and gaining recognition for Vallauris ceramics. Co-founder of the Vallauris potters' union in 1954, and then president from 1972, he also contributed to the organization of the Vallauris International Biennial of Art Ceramics from 1968 onwards. His work was exhibited in France and the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.

This sculpture perfectly illustrates his artistic exploration: free and architectural forms , hollowed volumes, and rhythmic cutouts, characteristic of post-war Vallauris modernism. The enamel, in shades of sand, beige, and nuanced brown , reveals a subtly speckled surface, highlighting the texture of the stoneware. The piece is signed “Kostanda” on the base.

A powerful decorative work, on the border between sculpture and art object , representative of French ceramic modernism of the 1950s.

Features

• Era: 1950s

• Style: Modernist, Vallauris, ceramic sculpture

• Creator: Alexandre Kostanda

• Material: Glazed stoneware

Dimensions

• Height: 11 cm ( 4.33 inches )

• Width: 15 cm ( 5.9 inches )

• Base width: 12.5 cm ( 4.92 inches )

• Weight: 600 g

State

Very good overall condition. Minor firing marks and variations in the original enamel. See photos for details.

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