Gabriël Argy-Rousseau #5383 - Crabe et Algues - 1920

Special vase by Gabriël Argy-Rousseau from 1920 with marine decoration of crabs with algae.

Rare deviating version in red/orange, yellow and black with the eyes of the crab very subtly represented by minimal orange glass elevations.

The crab's claw grips an algae stalk. The crab's armor appears very realistic due to the slight curves and silky texture.

In works of art, the crab refers to the sea and everything associated with it, such as the unknown, the unconscious, and even the unregulated. The sea often symbolizes the mysterious or the unconscious, and the crab can represent the complex, often hidden aspects of the human mind.

Undersea themes were a popular subject in symbolism and decorative art in the early 20th century, as can also be seen in glass art by Gallé and Amalric Walter.

Signed on the vase: G Argy-Rousseau, as well as France on the bottom.

Origin: Private Dutch property.

Literature: G. Argy-Rousseau: Glassware as Art, Bloch-Dermant, pg. 181