Jean Marais (1913–1998) “The Venus with Braids”

A large anthropomorphic vase in black glazed ceramic.
Vallauris, circa 1960.
There are objects we look at.
And others that seem to look back at us.
This large vase designed by Jean Marais belongs to the latter category.
From the very first glance, this face with its immense eyes commands attention with an almost unsettling presence. Neither quite a woman nor quite a deity, this timeless figure seems to emerge from a poetic world where antiquity, dreams, and theater converge.
The long sculpted braids framing the face come together at the back to form a spectacular handle, a true feat of craftsmanship that transforms the utilitarian object into a sculpture.
Here we find the entire world of Jean Marais: his taste for archaic forms, reinvented mythologies, and enigmatic faces inspired by both ancient idols and Mediterranean civilizations.
The satin-black enamel further accentuates the work’s graphic power. Light glides over the forms, highlighting the brow arches, the subtly smiling lips, and the rhythm of the braids that envelop the piece like a crown.
As a decorator, actor, draftsman, sculptor, and ceramist, Jean Marais developed a deeply personal body of work in Vallauris. Far from passing fads, he created an immediately recognizable formal vocabulary, where each piece seems to possess a soul.
Exemplars of this model are now very rarely seen on the market. This one is further distinguished by a particularly remarkable quality of execution.
The finesse of the work is evident in every detail: the precise modeling of the face, the dynamic lines of the eyebrows, the intensity of the gaze, as well as the remarkable rendering of the long braids that wrap around the sculpture and form the rear handle. The reliefs remain powerful, the volumes perfectly defined, and the quality of the firing highlights all the sculptural richness envisioned by Jean Marais.
This level of preservation and definition gives the piece an exceptional presence and places this example among the most captivating we have ever seen.
This creation ranks among the most endearing pieces in Jean Marais’s ceramic repertoire. At once a vase, a sculpture, and a domestic presence, it perfectly embodies that subtle boundary between art and everyday object that the artist knew how to cross with such elegance.
A singular, poetic, and timeless work.
Height: 34 cm
Depth: 24 cm
In very fine condition.
Signed “Jean Marais.”
A presence for an interior:
Placed alone on a console table, a bookshelf, or a pedestal, this Venus with Braids immediately catches the eye. More than just a vase, it becomes a silent companion, a sculptural presence that complements the space and imbues it with a special spirit.

Ref: N00UK36V8L