Marc-Louis E. Solon | |
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| Born | 1835 (1835) Montauban, France |
| Died | (aged 78) Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Porcelain artist |
| Known for | Pâte-sur-pâte |
Marc-Louis-Emmanuel Solon (1835 – 23 June 1913), pseudonymMiles, was a French porcelain artist. After beginning his career at theSèvres Pottery, he moved toStoke-on-Trent in 1870 to work atMintons Ltd, where he became the leading exponent of the technique of ceramic decoration calledpâte-sur-pâte. His work commanded high prices in the late Victorian period.
Solon was born inMontauban,Tarn-et-Garonne. After moving to England at the time of theFranco-Prussian War he lived there for the rest of his life.
Solon married Laure, the daughter of Minton'sart director, Léon Arnoux, and the Solons raised a large family inThe Villas near the Mintons factory. Their eldest son,Léon-Victor Solon (1872–1957), joined Minton in the 1890s and became art director (1900–1909). Leon made an important contribution toArt Nouveau ceramics at Minton before moving to the United States.[1] Other notable sons includeCamille Solon and Albert Solon ofSolon and Schemmel Tile Company.
Despite some family resistance to his becoming an artist, he studied at theÉcole des Beaux-Arts and withHorace Lecoq de Boisbaudran.[2] Some of Solon's work came to the attention of theart director of theSèvres Pottery. Solon was employed at Sèvres from 1862–70 as aceramic artist and designer and was where he learned and began to perfect the technique ofpâte-sur-pâte. His styles were derived from Classical Greece, the Renaissance, 17th- and 18th-century paintings, and Victorian postcards while his subjects often included portraits, female figures, putti (cherubs), small animals, and birds. His early work was produced under the pseudonymMiles, said to be based on his initialsM L E S. A number of these earlier pieces are housed in theVictoria and Albert Museum and in the collection of the former Minton Museum.
Solon moved from France to England in 1870 to flee from theFranco-Prussian War. He found employment atMintons Ltd, and settled at Nº1,The Villas, Stoke-on-Trent.[3] Mintons had a history of employing foreign artists, starting with their first Frenchman in 1848, the art director Léon Arnoux, followed by other French artists such as the sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse. While working at Mintons Solon became the leading expert in thepâte-sur-pâte technique. Mintons experienced more demand forpâte-sur-pâte ceramics than Solon could fulfill on his own so he trained a number of apprentices includingFrederick Alfred Rhead and Alboin Birks. There ensued a golden age of pâte-sur-pâte in Stoke-on-Trent that stretched into the early years of the 20th century.
One of Solon's vases, believed to be his largest, is on display atOsborne House.
He died atStoke-on-Trent on 23 June 1913.[4][5]
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During his early years in Staffordshire Solon collected local pottery. He used the collection as the basis of his 1883 publication,The Art of the Old English Potter, a book about pottery produced beforeJosiah Wedgwood transformed the industry.[5]
Other publications include:
He also collected books about ceramics and after his death, his library was acquired by the local technical college with funds provided by theCarnegie United Kingdom Trust.
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