Jean Derval (1925-2010), handled box

Lidded box with handles in red Vallauris terracotta, glazed in cream with red wave decoration.

Dimensions: L. 8.86 in × D. 6.10 in × H. 6.30 in.

France, Vallauris, circa 1950.

Biography:

Jean Derval (1925–2010) was a French ceramist associated with the artistic production of Vallauris, one of the main centers of post-war ceramic art in France. Trained at the École des Arts Appliqués in Paris, he settled in Vallauris in the late 1940s and became part of the local artistic movement alongside many ceramic artists of the period.

His work is characterized by stylized figurative decoration, often inspired by Mediterranean, animal, and mythological themes, using graphic lines and richly colored glazes.

He actively participated in the revival of artistic ceramics during the 1950s, both in France and internationally, later developing an important production of decorative pieces, wall panels, and sculptural objects.