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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  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 ...