Decorative plate in the shape of a Greek warrior’s head. Roger Capron, 1950s.

This is the third and last of the midcentury-modern French pottery items I’m sharing. In this case it’s a Vallauris dish/ashtray designed by the famous Roger Capron. (I do think they are the three most important ceramists of the 1950s in France)

This plate is very cleverly done. If you look at the second picture, you can appreciate it’s made first as a dish from which Capron has cut off some parts using exclusively straight lines. Later, the painting gives all the sense to the piece. The lines in the drawing may remind you of those of Picasso. These are usually seen showing women’s faces, but this is the only man we’ve seen so far. You can see those women's head on pic 3, as well as other items with an ancient Greek themed decor.

Luckily, I’ve been able to find more info about Capron than I did about the Ruellands or Chambost:

Roger Capron studied at the School of Applied street Dupetit-Thouars Paris Arts from 1938 to 1943 before teaching there drawing from 1945.

He was at first interested in drawing, but the discovery of ceramic pushes a change of media. In february 1946, he moved to Vallauris, where he created a ceramic workshop, Callis. In doing so, he partnered with Robert and Jean Derval Picault in 1948, contributing to the revival of the ceramic Vallauris. In 1952, Capron bought a disused pottery of Vallauris (the former factory of La Font des Horts) and with seven workers under his command he starts manufacturing pottery articles for gift shops as well as decorative panels, starting the production of tiles and the very popular tiled-top tables from 1955. That same year he married Jacqueline Hubin, who’s better knon as Jacotte Capron, his collaborator.

His creations are recognized and rewarded: gold medal at the X Triennale di Milano in 1954, silver medal at the International Exhibition in Cannes in 1955 (the city commissioned him for 1956 with a ceramic panel 150 m2 the ferry terminal), gold medal in Brussels in 1959... In 1970, he received the International Grand Prize of Ceramics.

In 1980, the factory employs 120 people. But due to the economic crisis, Roger Capron has in 1982 to file for bankruptcy: he was forced to sell the models, patents, manufacturing processes and its name (which is his trademark).

Roger Capron died in 2006, leaving behind a considerable body of work, recognized worldwide.