Emile Galle

Émile Gallé (1846 – 1904) was a French artist considered to be a major contributor to French Art Nouveau. He worked in glass and his signature style was producing cameo glass using heavy opaque glass carved or etched with plant motifs.

He was the son of a furniture and ceramics (faience) maker. He learned glassmaking and went to work at his father’s factory following the Franco-Prussian war.

In 1877 he took over as director of his father’s firm and received praise for his work at the Paris Exhibition of 1878. He reached international fame after another successful showing at the Paris Exhibition in 1889.

His style, which focused on naturalism and flower motifs put him at the front of the emerging Art Nouveau movement. He revitalised the glass industry when he created a factory to mass-produce his own and other artists glass designs. At its zenith this employed 300 workers and artisans and stayed in business until 1936.

He was also a convinced humanist and did much to help the working class by setting up evening schools. At much personal risk to his business he defended Alfred Dreyfus, the Romanian Jews and spoke up in defence of Irish Catholics against Britain.

Together with other prominent artists and artisans he set up and Art Nouveau movement called the Ecole de Nancy in 1901.