Pignatier Salad Bowl, Red
The French Trade Commission invited us to the South of France for a week in October to visit local artisans who had received the EPV designation*. The studio of Lou Pignatier was one of two “poteries” we visited. The family firm of Gilles Compas and his wife, Christine, creates pottery in the traditional ways, carrying out all the operations itself: turning, decorating, and glazing.
The extraordinary richness and depths of the colors are truly striking. We love the understated simplicity of the shapes, their perfection. The ruffled edge of the salad bowls—a very traditional Provençal shape—is one of the few flourishes they allow. Mass-production cannot match the warmth, the depth, the love of the true master.
Have you ever seen a more perfect bowl for a salad?
*The Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company, or EPV) label is a mark of recognition of the French Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment, put in place to reward French firms for the excellence of their traditional and industrial skills. The companies, their products, and their manner of production are carefully examined, and only a few are considered worthy of the designation. The EPV label requires a number of specific criteria, including: “They put into practice rare skills that draw on a mastery of traditional techniques.” The studio of Lou Pignatier exemplifies this.