Jean Carriès (1855 – 1894) French Sculptor and Ceramicist

Jean Carriès (1855–1894) was a  French sculptor and ceramicist. He was born in Lyon. Jean-Joseph Carriès expressed his subjects through unconventional approaches that deviated from mainstream academic conventions. He infused his artwork with deep emotions and a unique inner life that captivated the viewer. Perhaps his difficult early family life and ongoing self-doubt contributed to his one-of-a-kind expression of mood.

Early Life

Although his parents had humble occupations, his father was a cobbler, and his mother was a domestic worker, so he was determined to make something of himself. With minimal education, he began working in manual labour at the age of twelve, then later became an apprentice to a builder. While observing plasterers working on stuccoed ceilings, he cultivated the desire to be an artist. This became the purpose of his life. At age twenty, he joined the army, serving for five years to support himself. During this time, his exceptional talent was recognised, and he was allowed to become a sculptor, thanks to the generosity of his colonel.

Biography

Carries executed his most important sculptures in 1878–80 and 1888.  He was influenced by the stoneware at the Japanese section of the 1878 Paris ‘Exposition Universelle’. 

Carries moved to Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, Nièvre, a small potters’ village, to learn stoneware techniques. He showed his pottery for the first time in his Paris studio in 1889.  As a result, the Princess of Scey-Monbéliard commissioned a monumental doorway in glazed stoneware. With plans by Grasset, the project was a financial disaster for Carries. 

His wares included Chinese and Japanese forms, pinched pots without handles, vases decorated with sculpture, and large pieces. He used glazes ranging from wood ash to copper bases. His sculpture ceramics included masks, monsters, and putti. 

Jean Carriès Technique

One of his preferred materials was wax, and he had the unique skill of creating a model using either clay or plaster and then casting it in bronze using the “à cire perdue” technique. This process involves creating a wax model that is destroyed during casting, allowing only one cast to be made from the mould.

One of the materials used by Carriès was terracotta. For him, heating the clay forms he created daily was simply a matter of heating. In 1888, he discovered some perfect clay beds for his pottery work. This was an opportunity for him to develop his favourite art form further.

The unique shapes and vivid glazes of Japanese cups, bowls, and jars deeply drew him in. Despite his passion for sculpture, he became increasingly enamoured with the art of pottery. Upon discovering that he could manipulate clay beds to create his pieces, he eagerly embraced this new artistic expression.

Recognition

His work was shown at the 1892 Salon of the Société des Artistes Français.

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL

The Field of Art – Jean Carriès About. (1896). Scribner’s Magazine, 19, 29–30. https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Scribner_s_Magazine/rt6ifpNpd-UC?hl=en&gbpv=0

Jean-Joseph Carriès. (2022, May 15). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Joseph_Carri%C3%A8s

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