JEAN MAYODON (1893 - 1967) - An enamelled and gilt decorated gold craquelure bottle vase, circa 1950, in the Persian style, decorated in the round with mermen and Gods below an everted bulbous mouth on a footed base, inscribed with artists monogram M, height 28cm Notes: Jean Mayodon had no formal training but lived in a community of artists in Serves and was influenced, especially in the classical styles, by artists he had met such as Henri Cros, Claude Monet, Isadora Duncan, Rodin and Bourdelle. Before he began his career producing ceramics in 1912 he spent 2 years in London doing antique restoration. He later went on to assume the artistic leadership of the Manufacture of Sèvre in 1941, after having been its artistic counsellor in 1934. Jean Mayodon developed decorative styles with figurative illustrations of exquisite quality and the vivid movement he infused in his ceramic works invoked the traditions of ancient antiquity using Centaurs, Sirens, Mermen, Mermaids and Goddesses and stylized animals as subject matter.