Emile Gallé

Ingemar Dahlberg Collection.

Emile Gallé was a French designer born in Nancy, primarily known as a glass artist, though he also worked with ceramics and Art Nouveau furniture. After a solid, traditional academic education, Gallé spent some time in Germany working with the firm Schwerer & Co. Gallé's earliest glass pieces were enamel painted; he later developed the technique "Marqueterie sur Verre" which involved embedding metal and glass details into the object, a complex technique used by few other artists. However, his largest production was of polished and etched cameo glass featuring biologically accurate floral decorations. The production continued after Gallé's death, and items were then signed with a star added to the signature.