Palissy Style - French Majolica Figural “trompe-l'oeil” By Georges Pull (1810-1889)

Palissy Style - French Majolica Figural “trompe-l’oeil European green lizard” by Georges Pull (1810-1889)

The most famous potter from the School of Paris, Georges Pull was called the ‘’King of Potters’’. Of all the Palissyists in the School of Paris, Georges Pull was the unquestioned leader. His cobalt blues remain unsurpassed today and, in their own time, were superior to even the finest English majolica ware of Minton and George Jones, two of the leading producers.

Georges Pull took up ceramics relatively late in life, after first establishing a taxidermy and curiosity shop in Paris. His skills in taxidermy undoubtedly aided in the creation of ceramics that teemed with lifelike lizards, frogs, and snakes. This plaster cast attributed to his workshop suggests that he may have taken molds from life, much like his sixteenth-century source of inspiration, Bernard Palissy.

© The Metropolitan Museum of Art https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/841266