Nothing destined this son of a hairdresser and hairdresser himself to become a famous faience maker. But Alfred Renoleau is an admirer of Bernard Palissy and a creator who will go through various periods.

After trials from 1880 in Mansle, then the first real productions in 1888 in Roumazières, he creates the art faience of Angoulême in 1891. His creations explore a wide range of techniques: earthenware, stoneware flamed, iridescent or crystallized. The "art nouveau" stoneware was produced from 1905 onwards.