Alexandre-Joseph Landais, Plate with snake, Late 19th century, glazed ceramic, Suiveurs de Palissy, Tours, France

Signed “Landais,” an artist from a generation of great ceramists influenced by Bernard Palissy and established in Tours, this plate demonstrates exceptional naturalism and virtuosity. We see the pattern inspired by Bernard Palissy’s work: an animal at the center, like on a central island, surrounded by plants and shells. The attention to detail reflects the work of a sculptor and the dexterity of the modeler-potter.

The Landais family is based in Tours, with a family-run workshop, particularly led by the son, Charles-Joseph Landais (1829-1908), and his sister Olympe, five years his senior. The Landais family, alongside Charles-Jean Avisseau, is a founding force of the “Ecole Tourangelle” of ceramics.