Incollect Magazine - Issue 15

Incollect Magazine 27 Why is Roger Capron so important, and why should collectors be looking at his work today? The artists working in Vallauris first gained widespread prominence for their ceramics in part because Picasso worked there, collaborating with Suzanne and Georges Ramié at the Madoura pottery beginning in the late 1940s. Capron moved to Vallauris around the same time, in 1946, initially working with Robert Picault before developing his own studio and production. He became popular in his own right because his work expressed the joie de vivre, warmth, playful colors, and naturalistic subjects associated with the Côte d’Azur. These artistic qualities never really go out of style. Capron’s career extended from early studio pottery and production ceramics to tiled furniture, architectural commissions and, later, one-of-a-kind sculptural works. Which period do you find most compelling, and why? I find the work from the 1960s and 1970s to be the most joyful and creative. He was exploring themes — and variations on themes — of color, using tiles that became more irregular, abstract, and pictorial at the same time. He also produced frescoes and undertook private architectural commissions during this period, which I believe encouraged greater experimentation and creativity. His tiled tables are among his most recognizable and desirable works. What should a collector look for when buying one — the design, date, materials, condition, signature, or provenance? How do you determine authenticity? First, look at the central image or pattern and the condition of the tiles: ideally, none should be broken or replaced. The signature is also important; most examples are signed. Provenance can be almost impossible to establish with certainty because these tables were generally regarded back then as furniture rather than art or sculpture, so many original invoices were simply not retained. That said, there are tables I know of that were made as private commissions and are highly collectible today, but they rarely come onto the market. In the end, the dealer — and collector — has to have confidence in the source from which the piece is being acquired. The vases and many of the lamps are another category altogether. For me, they fall more clearly into the realm of sculpture. They should be signed and ideally have no restoration, while the choice of form and decoration is ultimately a matter of personal taste. These pieces also tend to appeal more broadly to collectors. How do you use Capron’s work in an interior? Do you see it primarily as French mid-century design, or does its handmade quality allow it to sit easily alongside contemporary furniture and art? Capron’s tables are so individual that they comfortably bridge different periods and interior styles. They work wonderfully in contemporary, even hyper-modern minimalist interiors as statement pieces, but are equally at home in a country or beach house, as well as transitional interiors. Their craftsmanship, color, and individuality give them a presence that continues to intrigue the viewer. Large model Ear vase, vivid blue, blue-green and black decorations. Signed, Vallauris, France, circa 1950s. From Galerie Edouard de La Marque on Incollect.com Shogun coffee table with wood frame and round legs. Glazed ceramic tiles in rich greens and earth tones. Signed, Vallauris, France, circa 1960s. From Galerie Edouard de La Marque on Incollect.com