17th French School Pair Of Terracotta Sculpture

Pair of large terracotta sculptures depicting a scene with two peasant women, France, Parisian workshop, second half of the 17th century.

In the 17th century, Italy, and to a lesser extent Flanders, made extensive use of terracotta in sculpture. France also had its own workshops, some located in Maine, others in the Loire Valley, and still others near Paris. The most popular subjects at the time were sacred images of Virgins, Saints, and Martyrs, but it is known that in Italy, particularly in the Veneto and throughout the northern region, there was a small realist movement that liked to depict popular figures, sometimes even in caricature; Flanders also had artists of this kind. But our sculptures stand out from these two cultures: the refined execution of this delightful family interior is perhaps partly influenced by the taste of Flanders, but the delicacy of the features, so far from the strong characterization of the Flemish, points us more towards France. Indeed, the clothes of the two figures, according to certain engravings preserved at the National Library, are the same as those of two peasants from the Parisian countryside, dressed for a festive occasion. The woman, with thick curls partly hidden by her bonnet, is sitting slicing bread with a cat at her feet and a child grasping her arm; the man, at whose feet is the house dog, is sitting mending his shoe. It is therefore a French work attributable to the Parisian workshops of the 17th century, in the wake of the works of painters such as the Le Nain brothers. Small losses.

Measures
Female H 48 cm Base 33 x 20 cm
Man H 46 cm Base 30 x 26 cm