La Faïencerie de Gien  ...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        La faïencerie de Gien dans le Loiret, en région Centre-Val-de-Loire, a été fondée, en 1821, par… un Anglais !

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Thomas Edme Hulm dit Hall, est un industriel britannique issu d'une famille qui possédait une manufacture de faïence située à Montereau-Fault-Yonne en Seine-et-Marne. Afin de faire rayonner en France la faïence fine anglaise, il s’installe sur les bords de Loire, dans l’ancien couvent des Minimes de Gien.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Cette implantation géographique est stratégique avec les matières premières locales à disposition (cailloux siliceux de la Loire, argiles, sables) et le bois des forêts orléanaises, pouvant être facilement acheminés par la Loire, pour alimenter les fours de cuisson.

La faïencerie est spécialisée dans la production de vaisselle. D’abord blanche aux décors bleus, elle évolue ensuite pour s’inspirer des services de table les plus connus : Saxe, Chine, Marseille, Empire ottoman ou encore de la Renaissance pour les rendre plus accessibles. C’est un franc succès et de nombreux artistes sont conviés afin d’imaginer des formes et des décors nouveaux.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Les productions de la manufacture reçoivent de nombreuses récompenses internationales entre 1855 et 1900.

Encrier de la manufacture de Gien en 1871

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       C'est en 1875 que la manufacture prend le nom de Faïencerie de Gien, après avoir fusionné avec la société  "Les émaux de Briare".
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         L’entreprise développe ainsi la technique des émaux cloisonnés, offrant de nouvelles perspectives pour les décors.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Vases aux pivoines

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             En 1882, la faïencerie se lance dans la production des carreaux de revêtement en céramique. Elle obtient notamment le marché du métropolitain parisien en 1906, afin de fournir l’ensemble des carreaux qui couvrent les murs du métro. Ce contrat n’a cessé qu’en 1980.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Station Station de Métro : Porte de Clichy  (hauts de seine)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            La Première Guerre Mondiale marque un coup d’arrêt pour la faïence de Gien. Malgré des commandes de vaisselle armoriée venues de toute l’Europe dans les années 1920, la production décline.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Après la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, la faïencerie modernise ses outils et fait créer les plus grands fours à tunnel d’Europe. Mais minée par les productions de qualité plus médiocre, qui affluent d’autres pays européens, la société dépose le bilan en 1983.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Service de table aux Grands Oiseaux

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Reprise en 1984, la faïencerie se recentre sur la production haut-de-gamme et invite à nouveaux des artistes pour créer des collections inédites, c’est le cas de Paco Rabanne ou Andrée Putman entre autres.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            En 2014, la faïencerie, à nouveau en danger, est reprise par deux hommes passionnés de son histoire, son patrimoine et son savoir-faire. Ils l’inscrivent dans cette perspective d’excellence à la française en intégrant le Comité Colbert et en obtenant le label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Service prestige aux Pivoines bleues

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Vous pouvez également découvrir l’ensemble de cette histoire et des productions de la faïencerie de Gien, dans le musée qui lui est dédié, situé dans le lieu originel de production : l’ancien couvent des Minimes, à Gien dans le Loiret ... 

.

Londres. Un bébé de trois mois suspecté d’être un terroriste ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

La boulette. Son grand-père s’étant trompé au moment de remplir le formulaire permettant d’entrer aux États-Unis, un nourrisson âgé de trois mois a été arrêté et gardé une dizaine d’heures par l’ambassade américaine à Londres. Shocking.

Tous ceux qui sont déjà allés aux États-Unis en tant que touristes le savent : il faut soigneusement remplir un formulaire d’admission dans ce pays. Formulaire qui pose une série de questions très sérieuses : « Avez-vous l’intention de tuer le Président des États-Unis ? », « Faites-vous partie d’un groupe terroriste ? », etc.

Questions auxquelles il faut répondre très sérieusement en cochant soit la case « Oui », soit la case « Non ». Inutile de dire qu’il vaut mieux cocher « Non » à toutes les questions. Sans chercher en aucune manière à faire de l’humour.

Hélas, on peut être distrait. C’est ce qui est arrivé au grand-père d’un bébé de trois mois, qui devait aller en Floride retrouver les parents du bambin, rapporte le Parisien, citant le Guardian.

Malencontreuse erreur  :

« Cherchez-vous à vous engager ou avez-vous été engagé dans des activités terroristes, d’espionnage, de sabotage, ou de génocide ? », demandait notamment le formulaire d’obtention du visa pour son petit-fils. Papy a malencontreusement coché la case « Oui ». Funeste erreur.

Le nourrisson a été immédiatement arrêté par l’ambassade américaine à Londres et gardé (on n’ose dire « interrogé ») une dizaine d’heures. Libéré, il a pu repartir par un autre vol avec son grand-père.

« Je n’arrive pas à croire qu’ils n’aient pas compris que c’était une erreur et qu’un bébé de trois mois était incapable de nuire », a déclaré le grand-père, désolé.

Ajoutant : « Le bébé a juste saboté quelques couches. Mais je ne l’ai pas dit à l’ambassade américaine ». Il a bien fait.

.

Chine : une statue géante de Bouddha dissimulée refait surface ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Il Il pourrait bien être la plus grande statue de Bouddha au monde !

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Selon Le Figaro, l'ouvrage mesurerait plus de 50 mètres de haut, ce qui en ferait la plus grande statue de Bouddha au monde, plus grande même que le Bouddha géant de Leshan dans la province du Sichuan, taillée dans la falaise du mont Lingyun. Jusqu'à présent, cette statue était considérée comme la plus grande représentation de Bouddha taillée à même la roche, dans le monde. Selon les médias chinois, rapporte le quotidien, la tête de ce nouveau monument mesure à elle seule 16 mètres de haut et a été sculptée dans un rocher unique. Son buste recouvre le reste de la montagne.

Histoires Anciennes :

Selon la légende, reprise notamment par le site Vision Times et Le Figaro, deux moines chinois sont à l'origine de la création de cette statue. Sous la dynastie des Tang (618 à 907 après Jésus-Christ), souvent appelée l'Âge d'or de la civilisation chinoise, ces deux hommes, le maître Hai Nang et son disciple Hai Tung, ont souhaité ériger deux statues géantes de Bouddha dans la roche des montagnes, afin d'éloigner les mauvais esprits et prévenir les catastrophes naturelles. Le disciple est alors parti vers Leshan, tandis que son maître resta dans la province de Guizhou, trop âgé et faible pour faire le voyage. La légende dit également que Hai Nang est décédé avant de voir la construction de son Bouddha achevée. Au fil des siècles, la végétation a donc repris le dessus et dissimulé les traits de la statue.

L'île d'Yeu et son Vieux Château vus du ciel :

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Petite île de Vendée, l'île d'Yeu recèle un patrimoine bâti et paysagé exceptionnel.

Située au croisement de routes maritimes, elle fut convoitée par les Anglais, les Espagnols et les Hollandais.