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Artus Van Briggle (1869–1904) joined Rookwood Pottery in 1887. He worked as a senior designer before forming his own studio in Colorado Springs in 1899. While at Rookwood, he was sent to Paris to study ceramics from 1893 to 1896 where he first encountered Ming dynasty dry-matte glazes. After Van Briggle returned from France, he began experimenting with his own matte glazes. He first exhibited his matte creations at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Van Briggle worked alongside his wife, Anne Gregory Van Briggle (1869–1929). Together, they continued to craft molded ceramics with matte glazes and organic motifs or shapes. With the help of his wife and two assistants, the pottery produced numerous pieces for both the Arts and Crafts Exhibition held in the Craftsman building in Syracuse, New York, in 1903, and the Louisiana Purchase International Exposition in the summer of 1904. At both events, their pottery was received with great enthusiasm. By 1903, the pottery had grown to thirteen employees. Its ceramics ranged from high-quality studio wares to commercial merchandise. Following Van Briggle's untimely death in 1904, his wife successfully managed the pottery until 1912. Learn more about #artsandcrafts in "At Home with Arts and Crafts" on display pre-security, in the International Terminal. http://bit.ly/SFOArtsandCrafts This image was posted on May 17, 2017.