Signed Decorative Wall Plate dated 1976 w/ Inscribed Poem 13½"

This signed wall plate was made in the summer of 1976 by the Ardèche potter Gery, known for his narrative ceramic work depicting rural life and memory in his region. Intended for wall display, the plate is crafted in relief and hand-decorated with colored slip, capturing a moment of quiet resilience in the aftermath of loss. The scene shows an elderly couple seated before their home, their dog resting nearby. The hills in the background are blackened, and the sky is tinged with the memory of smoke. This plate was created in direct response to the catastrophic drought and wildfires that swept through southern France in the summer of 1976 - one of the worst heatwaves of the 20th century. In Ardèche, thousands of hectares of land were scorched, farms and homes were threatened, and entire communities faced long recovery. Despite the devastation, the couple remains in place - a symbol of endurance. Beneath the scene, a short poem is inscribed directly into the clay:

Which translates to:

Signed Gery and dated Été 1976. Gery was well known potter from the region who made commemorative pieces such as this , this piece serves as both a personal and regional testament - a ceramic tribute to survival, place, and belonging in the face of destruction.