Maurice Gensoli

Working from 1921 as a decorator at Sèvres and from 1927 as the director of its design studio, Maurice Gensoli remained with the firm until his retirement in 1959. He led the ceramics department toward Cubism, designing simple and segmented beaker shapes that were to be decorated with brightly colored heroic figures and idealized landscapes. Ceramics in the shapes of stylized waves, sea shells, exotic animals and human figures also emerged from the factory during Gensoli's tenure. Elegant undulating bottle vases and chargers with whimsical decorations including star bursts, crackles, and mortared stone became the norm in the 1950s, demonstrating that Gensoli and those working under him looked tirelessly for fresh inspiration in order to keep Sèvres at the cutting edge of current fashion.