Distilling the aesthetics of the French countryside is deceptively challenging.
The look is austere but not stuffy, humble but not ordinary, antique and yet completely modern.
Benoît Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli accept this challenge with relish – a Parisian legacy of artisanal, handmade ceramics apparent within every piece they make.
Cast against this simple backdrop, Alexandre’s presence invites an intimacy to the table.
The core motif of their Alexandre collection: a cherubic face rising from Astier de Villatte’s signature milky glaze. Modeled after an aged imprint found in Benoît’s father’s attic, the visage is soft and enigmatic.
Though each style maintains an individual character, the unifying white palette allows for imagination in designing the table. A pair of Aurélie plates, Marguerite bowls and an Alexandre platter – the perfect setting for two.
His inherent classicism brings to mind French spreads of yore – tumbling apples, fresh bread and mint gracing a hand-hewn wooden surface.
This presentation is not without whimsy – perhaps there is a splash of génépi in one of his tea cups or a scoop of lime sorbet in his simple fruit bowl.
