Vintage Art Deco terracotta girl figurine by Charles Peyre, France

A delicate terracotta piece by the famous French sculptor Charles Raphael Peyre. In this scene full of tenderness, we meet two characters, a girl and a bird, the latter, the younger and the animals, being the main themes of his work. We see how the girl, sitting on the grass, subtly holds the bird with her two hands, which comes face to face with the girl. The beauty of the scene is enhanced by the detail achieved through the awl treatment, a detail used in each of the parts that make up the work. His ability to materialize the human anatomy is remarkable, and each element of the body is modeled to perfection. The slight ornamentation applied to the base on which the girl rests, which is intended to imitate a lush field, is also striking, as are the small details of flowers, also done with a punch.On the front of the work, one can see the personal signature of the artist, who marked the work himself before the terracotta was dried. On the other hand, the piece is hollow, one of the distinctive characteristics of the working process of this type of material. The piece also shows a beautiful and recent restoration in the area of the girl's neck. Charles Raphael Peyre (1872 - 1949)Peyre was a student of Alexandre Falguière, Théophile Barrau and Antonin Mercié, two of the leading sculptors of the 19th century. His works present mainly allegorical and symbolic themes, usually featuring animals or children, with scenes full of love and gentleness. As for their forms, they present a very elegant style, typical of the Art Deco aesthetic (even reminiscent of Art Nouveau), and a splendid ability to model the human and animal anatomy of the characters. In 1894, he received an honorable mention at the Salon des Artistes de la Société des Artistes Français, of which he became a member in 1900 and exhibited there regularly. He went on to win third and second class medals at the 1902 and 1903 exhibitions respectively. He used a variety of materials such as marble, plaster, bronze and terracotta to produce his works. In addition, many of his monumental works can be found in public spaces, such as the "Girl's Toilet" in Courbevoie and the "Harmonies" in Perpignan (1909).Today, the French sculptor has attained enormous popularity and his works, executed with his magnificent sculpture and following the highly appreciated Art Deco aesthetic, as well as the beauty of his compositions and the tenderness of his subjects, have conquered the general public. Charles Peyre has also earned a place in some of the most prestigious international auction houses. Reference : 263690