Suntory Museum of Art "120 Years After His Death: Émile Gallet: Longing for Paris"
Émile Galle (1846–1904) took over his father's wholesale business of high-end glass and ceramics in Nancy, the ancient capital of Lorraine in northeastern France, and developed a unique world view of glass, ceramics and furniture, with brilliant success.
While he is known as a celebrity of Nancy, it was the capital of Paris, a capital of artistic talent and a rich clientele, that made the Galle brand known to the world and led him to international success. Since his father's generation, his production has been centered in his hometown of Nancy, but Galle's products have been exhibited in showrooms in Paris and sold to wealthy people through contract agents. In 1878, 1889, and 1900, he presented his new works at the Paris Exposition, which was a major international stage, and especially after the 1889 World's Fair, he deepened his ties with the social world. However, the social dilemmas and pressures brought about by his success were unimaginable, and Galle died of leukemia just four years after the 1900 World's Fair.
Commemorating the 120th anniversary of Galle's death, this exhibition focuses on his relationship with Paris, where he established himself, and reflects on the development of his creativity. In addition to exhibiting a large number of excellent works that are clearly inherited from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France, including works exhibited at the World Expo, the exhibition will also exhibit for the first time the heirloom materials of the Degpers family, which ran a gallé agency in Paris that have recently been acquired by the Suntory Museum of Art. Through a total of 110 works that eloquently illustrate the relationship between Galle and Paris, including glass, ceramics, furniture, and Gallet's autographs, you can enjoy the rich artistic world of Galle from his youth to his last years.
* In order to protect the work, the exhibition will be changed during the exhibition period.
