Amalric Walter

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Vase au lézard, c. 1925, h: 21 cm
Poisson art deco, c. 1930

Victor Amalric Walter (19 May 1870 – 9 November 1959) was a French glass maker mainly known for his pâte de verre (a glass casting method that translates as glass paste) pieces.

Biography

Born in

1900 World's Fair.[2]

He then decided to work for the

pâte de verres representing the Belfry of Thuin and the river Sambre.[5]

After the war, he decided to create his own glass studio at Nancy, rue Claudot. He continued his collaboration with Henri Bergé. From 1919 to 1935 with Bergé and other famous sculptors or designers, he cast not less than 500 models, always in few numbers due to the sophisticated technique of glass kiln casting. It is said that when he was not happy about pieces that came out from the kiln, he used to throw them onto the outside wall of his studio, saying he was a genuine perfectionist. His staff was not numerous (8-10 workers maximum).

Art Deco began to replace Art Nouveau, and arts and crafts production or small business sector became non-competitive due to high manufacturing costs. He then reoriented his production and cast simpler pieces, influenced by Art Deco design. Most of his pieces of the later period involve at most three colours, to reduce costs.

After 1935, Walter's workshop closed. He also progressively became blind. He died on 9 November 1959, blind and destitute, at Lury-sur-Arnon where he was visiting a friend.

Legacy

Walter's work and glass casting process was neglected after his death.[6] The Amalric Walter Research Project was launched in 2006 by Keith Cummings and Max Stewart in Dudley, England.[7] At the same time an exhibition on Walter's pâtes de verre was held at the Broadfield House Glass Museum.[8]

References

  1. ^ Slitine, Florence (2003). "'Sèvres' mais pas 'Manufacture de Sèvres'" (PDF). Sèvres (in French). 12: 71–83.
  2. ^
    ISSN 0031-3394
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  3. .
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  6. ^ J. Kervin & D. Fenton, Pâte de Verre and Kiln Casting of Glass, GlassWare Studios, First ed., 1997
  7. . Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  8. ^ "DMBC – White House Cone-museum of glass". Retrieved 20 November 2017.

Further reading

External links