Rating and value of works, ceramics by Pol Chambost

If you own an object by or after Pol Chambost, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can offer you their expert appraisal services.

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value.

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Rating and value of works by Pol Chambost

Pol Chambost is a French artist well known to ceramics enthusiasts. If you own one of his works, it may be worth more than you think. On the art market, Pol Chambost's works can fetch very high prices under the auctioneer's hammer.

His ceramic works are particularly prized by French and American buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €60 to €44,200, a fairly substantial range, but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Chambost's works.

In 2021, a black ceramic vase sold for €9,160 against an estimate of €2,500 to €4,160, more than twice the high estimate.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique by Pol Chambost

Pol Chambost's style is characterized by a constant quest for innovation and refinement. His mastery of ceramics, combined with a keen sense of aesthetics, enables him to create works that are both elegant and surprising.

He developed a style that straddled the border between sculpture and decorative ceramics, using his signature pure forms and flowing lines.

His technique is marked by the use of ceramics for trompe-l'œil creations, a field in which he excels, notably with his famous egg and fruit sculptures.

These works play on texture, illusion and materiality, giving his pieces a fascinating sense of reality, yet deeply rooted in the art of ceramics.

He works with both classic forms and more modern creations, often inspired by nature and everyday life, which he transforms into objects of timeless beauty.

Pol Chambost uses glazes with rich, varied colors, exploiting the full potential of ceramics for finishes that are as meticulous as they are surprising.

His work with terracotta, clay and glaze gives his pieces a unique texture, both soft and shiny, which makes them particularly sought-after.

The artist's signature lies in his ability to fuse simple and sophisticated forms, with great technical virtuosity.

The life of Pol Chambost  

Pol Chambost (1906-1983), a French ceramist, is one of the major figures of 20th-century ceramic art. Born near Saint-Étienne into a family of marble masons, he initially seemed destined to carry on the family tradition.

However, driven by a passion for art, he turned away from marble work to study sculpture and the applied arts. He took his first steps at the Ecole des Arts Appliqués à l'Industrie in Paris, before perfecting his skills at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs.

His degree in art engineering, with a specialization in stone sculpture, already testifies to his solid technical and artistic training.

However, his decisive encounter with ceramics came thanks to his father, who encouraged him to start producing ceramics, a material in great demand during the Trente Glorieuses, a period of economic prosperity and industrial innovation.

At a time when ceramics are enjoying a renaissance, Pol Chambost is a pioneer. He stands out for his use of a high-capacity electric kiln, a first in France, enabling him to explore new technical and artistic possibilities.

In 1939, he received his first awards, marking the start of an exceptional career. This first success was only the prelude to a series of creations combining elegance and originality.

He soon specialized in decorative ceramics, drawing inspiration from traditional materials such as marble, which he reproduced with such precision that his trompe-l'œil works became a signature of his art.

One of his career milestones came when he joined Galeries Lafayette, a prestigious venue where he worked alongside other design greats such as Raymond Subes and Vassilev Slavik.

Here, he creates utilitarian and decorative objects, but makes a name for himself designing advertising ashtrays for major brands such as L'Oréal and Dubonnet.

These collaborations helped establish his reputation and helped him make a name for himself in the world of ceramic art, where his work is particularly appreciated for its creativity and quality.

The turn of the 50s and 60s

The 1950s and 1960s marked a turning point in the work of Pol Chambost, who continued to innovate while remaining true to his pioneering spirit.

His trompe-l'œil ceramics are of the utmost finesse, but it is his "egg" sculpture, a true trompe-l'oeil masterpiece, that has become one of his most emblematic works.

His ability to transform simple forms into veritable material illusions made him a master of the genre, on a par with other great creators of the period.

His production suffered none of the difficulties that affected other manufacturers of the period, such as Gallé or Daum. Thanks to pragmatic management and a keen sense of the market, Pol Chambost was able to sell his creations widely.

He remained a major player in the world of ceramics for several decades, and his work continues to influence the contemporary art scene.

Through his work, he managed to reconcile technical rigor and formal originality, making him one of the great names in 20th-century French ceramics.

Focus on the trompe-l'œil egg by Pol Chambost

Pol Chambost's work is distinguished by a subtle mastery of ceramics, where innovation and tradition blend in perfect harmony.

Among his most remarkable creations, the trompe-l'œil sculpture "Œuf" perfectly embodies this quest for transformation of materials and forms.

This piece presents itself as a majestic egg, sculpted with such precision that it appears to be a perfectly natural object, yet a product of ceramic art.

Pol Chambost succeeds in creating an optical illusion, giving his work the appearance of a material that it is not, but whose appearance is strikingly faithful.

This type of trompe-l'œil creation is at the heart of Chambost's art, as she pushes the limits of the material by playing with its texture, color and shape.

The choice of the egg as a subject is not insignificant: it symbolizes birth, purity and fragility. But it's also a universal shape, crossing eras and cultures.

Pol Chambost, in choosing to sculpt such an object, demonstrates his talent for reinterpreting traditional symbols while using an innovative technique.

This sculpture echoes the trend of the time, when ceramics were no longer just a utilitarian object, but became an artistic medium, capable of evoking emotions and arousing wonder.

By placing his work in this perspective, Chambost establishes himself as a true innovator, faithful to his vision of art and ceramics.

Interestingly, this work does more than simply play with visual illusion. The texture of the ceramic, worked with remarkable finesse, plays a full part in the illusion.

The smooth, shiny surface of the egg seems almost organic, but it is the ceramic material which, under the artist's expert hands, is transformed into something it is not, in a subtle interplay between reality and appearance.

With this piece, Pol Chambost not only masters the ceramic techniques of his time, he goes beyond them, creating a work that is both poetic and technical, and which continues to fascinate today.

With his trompe-l'œil creations, Chambost raises ceramics to a new level of excellence.

He succeeded in perfectly marrying technical research with visual poetry, offering the art world pieces of great originality and timeless beauty, just like other sculptors of his time, such as Georges Jouve or Jacques Pouchain.

Pol Chambost on the auction market 

There is no longer a factory selling Chambost's work. As a result, the auction market is the preferred route for acquiring one of his works.

They're very popular at auctions, and whether it's an egg sculpture, a vase, a vide poche or some other work, they're all in demand.

Recognizing Pol Chambost's signature

Not all Chambost items are signed. What's more, there are many copies, which is why it's important to appraise your work.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a painting by Pol Chambost or after the artist, don't hesitate to ask for a free estimate using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you're thinking of selling your work of art, our specialists will also be on hand to help you find alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking market trends into account.