Émile Gallé “Ours Polaires” Cameo Glass Vase

This exquisite Émile Gallé “Ours Polaires” cameo vase showcases three polar bears navigating ice floes in an Arctic landscape, framed by distant icebergs rendered in stunning shades of blue and white. Polar bear motifs gained popularity in the 1920s, coinciding with the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration—a period marked by numerous expeditions to reach the South Pole. The motifs of this vase are likely inspired by Jean-Baptiste Charcot, a pioneering French explorer, who two significant expeditions to Antarctica in the early 20th century, advancing scientific understanding of the region. His 1908–1910 voyage aboard the Pourquoi Pas? charted much of the Antarctic coastline and contributed valuable information about the continent's geography and wildlife. During this time, Gallé incorporated polar bear and penguin designs into his work, reflecting renewed European fascination with the exotic wildlife of Earth’s final frontiers.