JOHANN BAPTIST STAHL (1869-1932) VILLEROY & BOCH METTLACH

Jason and the Argonauts signed ‘Stahl’ (lower left); mark ‘Mettlach VB’, numbered ‘2442’ and ‘98’ (on the underside) porcelain reliefs diameter 46 cm The detailed, translucent, and finely worked porcelain reliefs of Jean-Baptiste Stahl gained him a gold medal at the 1900 World's Fair Paris. Partly influenced by art nouveau, Jean-Baptist Stahl took topics from Greek mythology and rural life. Usually, the white translucent figures are finely set on a blue or green background that partly shines through. Striking is his absolute eye for the detailed modelling of his figures in a very delicate and lively way. In order to increase the three-dimensional illusion, he carefully modulated the transparency of the white porcelain. All of Jean-Baptiste Stahl's work was solely from his lifetime employment at Villeroy & Boch in Mettlach, Saarland, Germany, where he headed the factory's school of drawing.