Figure of a bear c. 1891 - 1895

Ernest Chaplet created this figure of a bear, with no precise date, out of glazed stoneware. Chaplet's choice of stoneware, rather than more traditional porcelain, is significant. Stoneware is robust, suitable for everyday use, while the crackled glaze gives it a sense of age. The bear's contemplative pose, combined with the chosen material, shifts our attention from mere representation to the process and inherent qualities of the stoneware itself. Chaplet was working at a time when ceramics was undergoing significant changes with the influence of Japonisme and new firing techniques. He skillfully blended traditional ceramic techniques with modern artistic sensibilities, resulting in this small sculpture that seems both ancient and contemporary. When we consider the time and skill invested in this figure, we start to understand the artificial separation between art and craft, highlighting the role of the artist as a master of materials and processes, bridging the gap between the studio and the factory floor.