Pair of French Neoclassical Terracotta Statues

Description

A exceptional pair of early 19th c. French terracotta figures depicting the personification of the Americas, each signed FVH at … more A exceptional pair of early 19th c. French terracotta figures depicting the personification of the Americas, each signed FVH at the round, socle base.

Early European representations of America were of an exotic and savage nature, but as exposure and knowledge of the new continent increased, the European renderings imbued the indigenous people with an increasingly regal demeanor. In this instance, the figures are noble indeed, elegantly portrayed in the classical manner, with trappings of their continent: animals, weapons and clothing of feathers.

Provenance: Bunny Williams Incorporated, NY less