Odette Lepeltier, 1914-2006 : Forme Et Couleur

Exhibition at La Piscine, Roubaix, 18 February - 21 May 2023

Among the great female figures of 20th century ceramics, Odette Lepeltier (1914-2006) remains a little known reference. However, along with Colette Guéden, Louise-Edmée Chevallier and Guidette Carbonell, she was one of the women artists who contributed to the post-war revival of artistic ceramics by reviving the round and the colour. The two enamelled earthenware maternities deposited by the Centre national des arts plastiques at La Piscine are highly emblematic of her work, which makes women her favourite motif.

In 2011, La Piscine acquired the entire archive of Odette Lepeltier. A true memory of the artist and an exemplary account of the life of a ceramist associated with the commercial distribution that developed during the 20th century, this priceless collection has naturally found its place in the museum's graphic arts cabinet, in connection with La Piscine's modern ceramics collection.

This exhibition catalogue not only presents, studies and publishes a rich and unpublished set of 69 notebooks and more than 1300 sheets from Odette Lepeltier's archives, but also allows us to discover for the first time since the artist's death the ceramics that remained in the family collections.