Teapot

Jean E. Puiforcat

ca. 1922 · Silver, lapis lazuli, and ivory · Modern and Contemporary Art

Puiforcat's name is synonymous with Art Deco glamour; even in his day, the important French silversmith was renowned for the elegant, often mathematical simplicity of his geometric forms and the unexpected combination of flawless metalwork with brilliantly polished hard stones, semiprecious stones, or glass. This teapot shows one of Puiforcat’s earliest attempts to break away from the preceding generation’s taste for naturalism; the only vestige is the lapis lazuli blossom acting as a knob on the lid. The lapis lazuli on this teapot is decorative as well as practical, adding to the insulating effect of the ivory spacer that separates the handle from the heat of the teapot; the hard-stone handle remains naturally cool to the touch.

Artist

Jean E. Puiforcat

Date

ca. 1922

Medium

Silver, lapis lazuli, and ivory

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1925