“Art for art’s sake” was a belief strongly espoused by the celebrated French designer and glassworker Émile Gallé. Through his ethereal glass vases, other vessels and lamps, which he adorned with botanical and religious motifs, Gallé advanced the Art Nouveau ideology and led the modern renaissance of French glass.
Gallé was the son of successful faience and furniture maker Charles Gallé but studied philosophy and botany before coming to glassmaking later in life. The young Gallé’s expertise in botany, however, would inform his design style and become his signature for generations to come.
After learning the art of glassmaking, Gallé went to work at his father’s factory in Nancy. He initially created clear glass objects but later began to experiment with layering deeply colored glass.
While glassmakers on Murano had applied layers of glass and color on decorative objects before Gallé had, he was ever-venturesome in his northeastern France, taking advantage of defects that materialized during his processes and etching in natural forms like insects such as dragonflies, marine life, the sun, vines, fruits and flowers modeled from local specimens.
Gallé is also credited with reviving cameo glass, a glassware style that originated in Rome. He used cabochons, which were applied raised-glass decorations colored with metallic oxides and made to resemble rich jeweling. Gallé's cameo glass vases and vessels were widely popular at the Paris Exhibition of 1878, cementing his position as a talented designer and pioneer.
During the late 19th century, Gallé led breakthroughs in mass production and employed hundreds of artisans in his workshop.
Botany and nature remained great sources of inspiration for the artist's glassmaking — just as they had for other Art Nouveau designers. From approximately 1890 to 1910, the movement’s talented designers produced furniture, glass and architecture in the form of — or adorned with — gently intertwining trees, flowers and vines. But Gallé had many interests, such as Eastern art and ceramics. The Japanese collection he visited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (then the South Kensington Museum) during the 1870s had made an impression too.
Breaking free from the rigid Victorian traditions, Gallé infused new life and spirit into the art and design of his time through exquisitely crafted glass vessels and pioneering new glassworking techniques.
Find a collection of Émile Gallé vases and other furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Pair of 19th Century Galle Faience Lion Candleholder with Silver Candelabra
By Émile Gallé
Located in Essex, MA
Pair of signed Emile Galle (French, 1846-1904) rampant lion faience candleholders Heraldic lion holding a castle tower in rampart also holding silvered bronze candelabra Signed...
Bronze
$13,287Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Ceramic Candle Holders, Lions By Emile Gallé, 19th Century
By Émile Gallé
Located in Lisbon, PT
This matched pair of faience lion candleholders, crafted circa 1880 by the renowned French artist Émile Gallé, exemplifies the bold spirit and refined artistry of late 19th-century d...
Ceramic
$1,750Sale Price|20% Off
H 11.13 in Dm 4.63 in
Pair of 19th Century French Brass Neoclassical Candlesticks
Located in Pembroke, MA
A pair of very finely-chased French brass candlesticks, circa 1870 in the neoclassical style (could be electrified as table lamps). Bases are decorated with rose vines.
Brass
$16,800Sale Price|30% Off
H 28.35 in Dm 13.78 in
Amazing Pair of French 19th Century Bronze and Gilt Bronze Candelabras
Located in Rome, IT
A fine pair of French 19th century bronze and gilt bronze candelabras, each with a dark bronze delicious dancing putto figures and parrots holding aloft three scrolled candle-branche...
Bronze
$19,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 28.35 in Dm 13.78 in
Amazing Pair of French 19th Century Bronze and Gilt Bronze Candelabras
Located in Rome, IT
A fine pair of French 19th century bronze and gilt bronze candelabras, each with a dark bronze delicious dancing putto figures and parrots holding aloft three scrolled candle-branche...
Bronze
19th Century French Pair of Louis XV Bronze Candle Holders
Located in New Orleans, LA
This elegant pair of 19th-century French bronze candle holders is inspired by the graceful curves and decorative refinement of the Louis XV...
Bronze
$4,295 / set
H 26.5 in W 9 in D 9 in
Pair of 19th Century French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Candelabras
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of 19th century French Louis XV style gilt bronze candelabras. Outstanding finely detailed pair of antique French Napoleon ...
Bronze
$25,000 / set
H 30 in Dm 14 in
Excellent Pair of Late 19th Century Parcel-Gilt and Patinated Bronze Candelabra
Located in Long Island City, NY
An Excellent Pair of Late 19th/Early 20th Century Louis XV Style Parcel-Gilt and Patinated Bronze Seven Light Candelabra Each with openwork tripod base cast with hoof feet, the standard with three cherub busts...
Bronze, Ormolu
$29,850Sale Price / set|38% Off
H 36.75 in W 18 in D 15 in
Pair French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Figural Candelabra by Henri Picard
By Henri Picard
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine pair of French 19th century neoclassical Greco-Roman style patinanted bronze and ormolu mounted figural candelabra by Henri Picard (French, Active from 1831-1864). The large and impressive pair of ten-light candelabra, each with a patinated figure of a standing bearded semi-nude male holding an ornate ormolu ten-light candelabrum, their bare feet resting on allegorical wreaths, helmet and sword stash, all above square black-slate plinth surmounted with ormolu trims and scrolled legs, the front surmounted with patinated bronze plaques depicting Greco-Roman scenes of Senators and maidens. Stamped "H. Picard" on the inner ring, the back of the male figures each stamped with the numerals "3776". Circa: Paris, 1850-1860. The well regarded fondeur and doreur Henri Picard was recorded at 6 rue Jarente in 1831, and moved to 10 rue de la Perle in 1839. The firm, which was active from 1831-1864, is known for having supplied very fine decorative objects to Emperor Napoleon III's apartments at the Louvre, which are still part of the collection, and was reputed for its fine quality decorative production of gilt and patinated bronzes, pièce de table and garnitures de cheminée...
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Polychromed Wall Candle Holder Italy 19th Century
Located in Čelinac, BA
Wooden Torch Holder Putto Italy 19th Century
Wood
$1,661 / set
H 18.5 in W 17 in D 17 in
Pair 19th Century Silver Plate 5-Light Candelabra convertible Candle Holders
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair Antique English Silver Plate 5-Light Candelabra Candle Holders. Convertible Measuring 17" in width, 17" in depth and 18.5" in height.
Silver Plate
$2,340Sale Price / set|40% Off
H 34 in Dm 10.5 in
Pair of 19th Century Doré Bronze 7-Light Marble Base Candelabras Mounted as Lamp
Located in Stamford, CT
Pair of 19th century doré bronze 7-light marble base candelabras mounted as lamp. Each having bronze sabots leading to a white Carrara marble pedestal...
Carrara Marble, Bronze
$9,850Sale Price / set|46% Off
H 19.5 in W 9 in D 8.5 in
19th Century Louis XVI Style Patinated and Gilt Bronze Figural Candelabra, Pair
By Claude Michel Clodion
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine pair of French 19th century Louis XVI style patinated and gilt bronze figural two-light candelabra after a model by Claude-Michel Clodion (French, 1738-1814), one modeled...
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Opulent Pair of Late 19th Century French Thirteen Light Candelabra
Located in Long Island City, NY
Opulent Pair of Late 19th Century French Thirteen Light Candelabra Composed of gilded bronze and Rouge Royale marble in the Louis XVI taste, the two-handled vases richly mounted wit...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Sold
H 16.375 in W 11 in L 16.375 in
Pair of French Blue and White Roaring Lion Candleholders by Galle, Late 1800s
By Émile Gallé
Located in Dallas, TX
This wonderful pair of lion candle holders come from the faience factory of Saint-Clement, France, in the later half of the 19th century. T...
Faience