Glass artist, designer, businessman * 1846 in Nancy (FR), +1904 in Nancy
Through his family, Émile Gallé came into contact with the arts and crafts early in Nancy. After studying philosophy, botany, zoology and mineralogy in Weimar (DE), he designed his first masterpieces with sensual and poetic expression in the glass factory in Meisenthal (FR) from 1866 to 1870. Back in Nancy, the versatile Gallé experimented with new techniques and built workshops for glass, wood and faience. He went on educational trips to Berlin, for example, opened sales outlets in Paris, Frankfurt and London and continued to cooperate with Meisenthal.
Émile Gallé, who is celebrated at world exhibitions, is considered the founder of French Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau, which deals with the world of shapes and colors in nature. In 1901 Gallé founded the with other Art Nouveau artists (including Daum and Lalique) Ecole de Nancy , which, among other things, drove artistically inspired manufacture production.