Blois faience wall medallion – Gaston Bruneau

Description

Blois faience wall medallion – Gaston Bruneau

"The Royal Ermine"

Openwork earthenware, polychrome painted decoration.
Signature: “Ulisse”, shell symbol, “Blois”, “G. Bruneau Balon Sr de E. Balon”.
France, first half of the 20th century (after 1929).
Diameter: 45 cm.
Weight: 2,3 kg.
Condition: excellent (slight technical irregularities from cooking).

Blois earthenware and Renaissance tradition

This earthenware wall medallion from Blois belongs to the tradition of French artistic ceramics inspired by the Renaissance. It is linked to the factory of Gaston Bruneau (1881–1965), an important figure in the historicist revival of earthenware in Blois during the 20th century.
Made of openwork earthenware with polychrome decoration, the object features a radially symmetrical composition. The central field is framed by Renaissance cartouches, acanthus scrolls, and heraldic motifs outlined in gold. The deep turquoise background creates a contrasting and three-dimensional effect characteristic of French decorative earthenware.
The openwork structure, visible on the reverse, demonstrates great technical mastery and gives the whole an architectural lightness.

Iconography and heraldic symbolism

The central motif — the ermine — is one of the most emblematic heraldic symbols of Brittany. In French and European tradition, the ermine embodies purity, fidelity and nobility, but also the legitimacy of power.
The crown and royal regalia reinforce the monarchical dimension of the composition. The whole can be interpreted as an evocation of the "royal ermine," associated with Anne of Brittany and the history of the French monarchy.
The ermine spots in the peripheral medallions correspond to elements of the Breton coat of arms—a field strewn with black spots. The repetition of the symbol around the central motif structures a coherent decorative program, typical of an elaborate heraldic composition.

Artistic interest and collector value

This French ceramic wall medallion is a remarkable example of artistic Blois earthenware from the first half of the 20th century.
It combines quality of execution, rich iconography and explicit reference to French monarchical history.