Terracotta sculpture by Lucas Madrassi

Terracotta sculpture, "La Lecture" by Luca Madrassi.
A terracotta sculpture depicting a gentle bonding moment between a mother and child whilst reading. This work dates from between 1880 and 1890 and was very-well appreciated in its own time. The material used (terracotta) almost certainly comes from Auteuil workshops where other renowned sculptures produced their works (e.g. Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux). This clay, baked at extremely high temperatures, becomes incredibly strong while still allowing for very fine details to be added (see photos for details).
Luca Madrassi (1848-1919), a pupil of Jules Cavelier, was a French sculptor of Italian origin.
Cavelier, winner of the Prix de Rome in 1842, taught other renowned sculptors such as Louis-Ernest Barrias, the Englishman Alfred Gilbert (creator of the Queen Alexandra Memorial) and the American George Grey Barnard (Metropolitan Museum, New York). He exhibited at the most prestigious Parisian exhibitions and received several medals for his work.
Terracotta, signed on the base - "Luca Madrassi, Paris"
Dimensions :Height: 52 cm Width: 41 cm