Georges Jouve
''Georges Jouve is widely regarded as one of the most important ceramicists of the twentieth century. His technical developments modernized the art of pottery, while his uniquely sensual, occasionally playful style illustrates the subtlety and depth of his creative imagination.'' - Edmund de Waal
First to Paris Paris, where in 1927, a 17 year old Georges Jouve enrolled at the Ecole Boulle. By the 1930s, Jouve's chosen career as a theatrical set designers was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. After escaping from a German camp, Jouve took refuge in Dieulefit, a potters village in the South of France.
In the 1940s, Jouve went from a prisoner of war to an internationally successful ceramic artist, exhibiting in his native France, as well as Barcelona, Milan, Munich, Washington and Zurich.
From religious inspiration to minimalism, Jouve was a master of experimenting, exploring shape and form as well as glazing, making him one of the most influential ceramicists of the later half of the 20th century.
Mark Brazier-Jones
New Zealand native Mark Brazier-Jones became a favourite of some of Britain's biggest talents: David Bowie, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Freddy Mercury and Elton John, having designed sets for these acts during the 1970s and 1980s.
During this time, Brazier-Jones was reinventing the music and nightlife scene in London, as warehouse parties were a big part of pop culture in the capital. In 1983, along with Tom Dixon and Nick Jones, members of the band Funkapolitan, Mark founded the Creative Salvage Group, creating welded sculpture-furniture for sold-out shows which revolutionised how the world saw design.
Mark later moved to the country side to work on ceramics and sculpting furniture using bronze. Today, his works can be seen in the Victoria & Albert Museum; the Museum of Art & Design in New York and Paris' Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
Gio Ponti
Born in Milan in 1891, Gio Ponti and revolutionary architecture of the 20th century are synonymous. Beginning his career in ceramics, Ponti later explained his prerogative that architecture and buildings should be one entity.
In 1928, Ponti founded Domus a magazine which was a soundboard for design and architecture.
As well as his written works, Ponti put his theories into practice, creating famous buildings around the world including the Denver Art Museum and Pirelli Tower in his native of Milan.
Isamu Noguchi
Inspired by the large-scale public works of Mexico; organic ceramics and gardens of Japan and the delicate ink works of China, Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi had a truly international approach to his work.
In the mid 1920s, Noguchi was inspired by the work of Constantin Brancusi, having seen an exhibition of his work in New York. At the end of the decade, Noguchi worked in Brancusi's studio.
In 1938, Noguchi was commissioned to create a large sculpture outside the Associated Press building in the Rockefeller Center, to symbolise the freedom of the press. This would be the start of a career of public sculptures, which for Noguchi, captured his beliefs in the social inclusion of art.
''The light of Akari is like the light of the sun filtered through the paper of shoji. The harshness of electricity is thus transformed through the magic of paper back to the light of our origin - the sun - so that its warmth may continue to fill our rooms at night.'' - Isamu Noguchi
Paper lanterns are now popular in homes the world over, especially in Western interior design, thanks to their sense of warmth. These are inspired by Noguchi's designs for Akari Light Sculptures. Noguchi created more than 100 hand-made Shoji-paper models for various light designs. Akari is a Japanese term for light, brightness and lightness.
Charlotte Perriand
"The extension of the art of dwelling is the art of living—living in harmony with man’s deepest drives and with his adopted or fabricated environment."- Charlotte Perriand
And finally, back to France. Charlotte Perriand was a French architect and designer who believed design which reflected harmony would make for a happier home.
Wood was one of Perriand's most adored materials. Inspired by the cosiness and simplicity of Alpine furniture, Perriand created minimalist benches and stools. She was commissioned to design interiors for ski resorts in the French Alps, influenced by the humble Alpine furniture of the past, resulting in elegant designs.
For Perriand, wood was one of the most sensual of woods, even describing how she liked ''caressing wood.'' The designer would sand and rub her wooden designs by hand until they were, as she described, ''as soft as a woman’s thighs.''
Leclere's Design auction will take place on 19th September, 2017. Check out the full catalogue here.
