Art and Alchemy

Taxile Doat (1851–1938) was among the most inventive European ceramists of his day. At the Sèvres Manufactory, he became a master of the pâte-sur-pâte technique while exploring new possibilities in porcelain decoration. He also established an independent studio, delighted audiences at Salons and World’s Fairs, and later played an influential role in the development of American art pottery through his association with the University City ceramic enterprise in St. Louis. Art and Alchemy traces the many stages of Doat’s career and explores how his engagement with historical and non-European ceramics, as well as the artistic developments of his own day, informed his bold experiments in form, material, and technique. International experts explore his presence in America and the French studio ceramics movement, restoring Doat to a central position in the history of ceramics.