Robert Deblander (1922-2008)

French ceramist, a leading figure in the post-war stoneware renaissance and contemporary ceramic art. Graduating from the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1944, Robert Deblander immersed himself in pottery through various apprenticeships, notably under Pierre Pigaglio in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye. Establishing his own studio in Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1949, Deblander's work evolved from 1950s aesthetics to sculptural stoneware pieces reminiscent of Brancusi or Gilioli. His later works introduced color and experimentation with porcelain, earning him recognition, including the 2002 Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Ceramic Arts.