Memo from J-P

For this page of oldquimper.com, we give the floor to Jean-Pierre, who serves as the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) of The Meadows Collection.  Appointed to that position in 2007, he has gamely agreed to attempt the daunting task of taking over the duties previously fulfilled by the late, but ever-present-in-our-hearts, Porquier-Beau...whose image continues to grace the upper left corner of this link.

Jean-Pierre is now  ten-years old, which translates to fifty-six in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate. It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:

Greetings to all.

First a little bit about my background.

I was born in Paris and am thoroughly parisien despite paperwork that lists me as being a chat de la fôret norvégienne (Norwegian Forest Cat). My full name is Châtelain Jean-Pierre. Châtelain because being born in 2007... December 21, 2007 to be precise...means that in accordance with French regulations, my name must begin with the letter 'c'.  Those born in 2008 have names that begin with a 'd', those born in 2009 have names beginning with the letter 'e' and so on.

Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. In Paris, it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.

Every once in a while I like to put the spotlight on a specific topic…it might be an unusual example of Quimper pottery or perhaps a further look at a place or structure…something  that I feel will further your enjoyment of French faïence.

Actually, what I'm going to talk about this month is not faïence at all, but early Quimper pottery...in other words, utilitarian stoneware. The French word for stoneware is grès and it's a specific type of ceramic...one that doesn't need to be glazed in order to hold liquid.  That's not to say that stoneware is not glazed, it's just that any glaze is added to increase decorative value and is not a step necessary to render it nonporous...as is the case with simple earthenware...a typical, unglazed earthenware flower pot being a good example.  Stoneware requires a certain type of clay...coincidentally the type found in the area known as Toulven...a bit downstream from Locmaria...and a higher firing temperature than earthenware.

The Town, The People and The Pottery article for this issue acts as another chapter in the relating of the history of modern-day Quimper pottery production...a history that begins in 1708. This being "oldquimper.com", I'd like to show you the type of pottery that is really "old" Quimper.

It was not faïence in the beginning, but primarily utilitarian brown stoneware like the pieces shown below...

These happen to be contemporary pieces shown while being used in the making of butter...but they are the type of bowls and jugs that were the first items to leave Pierre Bousquet's pottery factory.

And by the looks of these three paintings shown by Jules Breton (1827-1906) , it certainly looks as if every young bretonne girl didn't venture outdoors without her stoneware cruche in hand.

That's my memo for this issue; I hope you enjoy this little bit of background information!