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A ceramic hand mirror by the French artist Mithé Espelt, this piece features her Sparrow motif, adorned with a collection of leaves and decorative elements.
Bibliography: Mithé Espelt, the Discreet Luxury of Everyday Life
Marie Thérèse Espelt, also known as Mithé Espelt (1923-2020)
Born in Townes, near Montpellier, Mithé Espelt began her career in 1943 creating ceramic buttons for haute couture collections in the Parisian workshop of Nathalie Pol and Lydia Chartier. In 1946, she decided to return to her hometown and set up her ceramics studio in an annex next to the Hôtel de Bernis, which she had inherited from her grandfather. She married the lawyer Maurice Figère, who decided to put his career on hold and support her artistic work. Choosing an artistic life allowed her to travel and draw inspiration from other cultures, which is evident in her work. She created everyday objects such as jewelry boxes, necklaces, mirrors, and other home accessories, never signing them, as she wanted them to remain accessible to everyone. Today, Mithé's work is recognizable by its high-quality craftsmanship. Her pieces often feature crackled gold enamel and colored glass inlays, a technical challenge requiring multiple turns in the kelns and countless hours at the workbenches. Mithé Espelt worked until 2000. Her workshop still exists but is now run by her daughter, Marion de Crécy.
Ref: 9EOEJ721Y9