A lovely round mirror with painted tiles signed R. Capron (1922-2006). The tiles are hand-painted with tulips, flowers and foliage. Circa 1960.
An extract from Wikipedia, translated from French
First interested in drawing, Roger Capron studied at the School of Applied Arts on rue Dupetit-Thouars in Paris from 1938 to 1943 before teaching drawing there from 1945. The discovery of ceramics pushes him to change medium: the February 6, 1946, he moved to Vallauris, where he created a ceramics workshop, Callis.
In doing so, he joined forces with Robert Picault and then Jean Derval in 1948, thus participating in the renaissance of ceramics in Vallauris where he implemented the motto of his master, René Gabriel, "to make beauty within everyone's reach".
In 1952, Capron bought a disused pottery in Vallauris (a former culinary pottery factory in Font des Horts) and produced there, with seven workers, objects intended for gift shops as well as decorative panels (from 1955, he began production of tiles and tables). Also in 1955, Capron married Jacqueline Hubin, known as “Jacotte”, who became his collaborator. His creations are recognized and rewarded: gold medal at the 10th Milan Triennale in 1954, silver medal at the international exhibition in Cannes in 1955 (the city places an order for him for 1956 for a ceramic band of 150 m 2 for the maritime station), gold medal in Brussels in 1959.
From 1950, in Vallauris, he rubbed shoulders with Pablo Picasso who, moreover, did not hesitate to support him during the controversy over the fresco at the Cannes ferry terminal. From 1962 began a collaboration between Capron and Jean-Michel Carré. They exhibited side by side at Bâtimat in 1963. The architect Philippe Sicardon, Carré's brother-in-law, entrusted Capron with the creation of the ceramic decorations that adorn the Byblos hotel in Saint-Tropez (inaugurated in 1967). This forced him to take an interest in a new material, high-fire sandstone, capable of withstanding the demands of the dance floor in particular. This project will also have consequences for the company. 1968 saw a new collaboration between Capron and Derval. In 1969 his daughter Marie-Pierre, then a student at the National School of Decorative Arts in rue Tondutti-de-l'Escarène, Nice, introduced Cyril de La Patellière to her father, with whom he collaborated for a time. In 1970, Capron received the international grand prize for ceramics.
Condition and wear consistent with age and use.
Approx. overall 15¾" diameter x 1½"
Approx. overall 40cm diameter x 4cm
