Expressive Large Terracotta Head Pitcher by Julie Desert Armanville - 8¾"

A large sculptural glazed stoneware pitcher hand modeled as a stylized head, recalling the Vallauris mid-century studio pottery tradition. The warm terracotta glaze creates a glossy, almost luminous surface, while coiled relief curls encircle the rim and cascade down the back, where the hairdo is ingeniously shaped into a loop handle. The strong profile with pronounced noseand chin, pursed lips, and a subtly asymmetric rim gives the vessel a lively presence, the interior fully glazed for function as well as display. Stamped JDA to the underside for Julie Desert Armanville.

Anthropomorphic vessels have a deep lineage in Mediterranean ceramic traditions, and this example carries that legacy into the modern era, filtered through the Vallauris vocabulary of playful figuration and tactile surface. Julie Desert Armanville’s spirited modeling and use of spiral hair motifs evoke the postwar Vallauris aesthetic shaped by artists such as Roger Capron and the broader Picasso-inflected revival, where folk references were reimagined with contemporary design sensibilities. While rooted in this lineage, her work stands apart through its poetic individuality and hand-built authenticity, qualities that resonate across her broader oeuvre.

As a decorative accent, this pitcher reads equally as vessel and sculpture. It can be displayed on a console or open shelving where its bold profile can be appreciated in the round, used as a vase for fresh or dried blooms, or styled empty to emphasize its graphic silhouette. Its earthy terracotta tone pairs beautifully with pale plaster walls, patinated wood, and linen upholstery, and it mixes seamlessly with other Vallauris ceramics for a collected and artful interior.