Biography

Isabelle Ferlay (1917–) & Frédérique Bourget (1925–1997)

Les Argonautes, a ceramics studio in Vallauris founded by Isabelle Ferlay and Frédérique Bourget, played a central role in the golden age of ceramics in Vallauris. Their name, borrowed from Greek mythology, evokes the adventures of the heroes in search of the Golden Fleece aboard the ship Argo.
Isabelle Ferlay, who studied painting at the Beaux-Arts in Lyon and at Luminy in Marseille, went on to specialize in wheel-throwing at the École nationale Fontcarrade in Montpellier. Frédérique Bourguet, for her part, studied at the Beaux-Arts in Montpellier and completed an internship in Sèvres. Both founded their own studios in Paris before settling in Vallauris in 1953 to create Les Argonautes.
Their early work was primarily functional, but after Isabelle was forced to stop throwing pottery due to manganese poisoning in 1955, they turned to decorative plaques in bas-relief and high relief, mirrors, vases, zoomorphic sculptures, and religious figures. Over the years, they explored various techniques and materials, moving from the red clay of Vallauris to chamotte clay, and then to ash-fired stoneware.
Les Argonautes participated in numerous exhibitions and fairs, notably the first international ceramics exhibition in Cannes in 1955, the contemporary ceramics exhibition in 1961, the arts and crafts exhibition in 1963, and the Vallauris Biennale in 1970. Their work was also sold in gift shops throughout France thanks to their participation in the Ateliers d’Art de Paris fairs.
The Argonautes studio hosted several renowned ceramic artists, such as Jacques Innocenti and François Raty.
Unfortunately, the studio closed its doors following Frédérique’s death.