Vassil Ivanoff, 1897-1973 : Céramiste, Peintre, Sculpteur

Exhibition at the Anne-Sophie Duval Gallery, Paris, 20 October - 24 December 2022

Bulgarian-born artist Vassil Ivanoff (1897-1973) was at the origin of the revival of modern ceramics, particularly stoneware, which reached its peak in the 1970s. A solitary artist, both rough and sensitive, he rarely exhibited, but was a key figure in the 20th century and is considered the first ceramic expressionist.

Vassil Ivanoff studied plastic arts and theatrical decoration in Bulgaria before moving to France in 1922. At the age of 50, he decided to make pottery his profession and settled in La Borne in 1946 to devote himself to working with stoneware and raw clay. The quality of his oxblood glazes contributes to his reputation and places him in the great tradition of ceramists in this pottery centre. His influences are diverse: Lipchitz, Zadkine, Picasso or Brancusi, but also archaic Mesopotamian statuettes or pre-Columbian ceramics. In 1963, he created monumental pieces in the Netherlands that were a resounding success.

This exhibition catalogue, published as part of the fiftieth anniversary of the Galerie Anne-Sophie Duval, pays tribute to the work of Vassil Ivanoff by presenting a large body of his work through an exceptional collection of ceramics (vases, sculptures, bowls, plates), as well as some paintings on canvas.