Saint Bishop In Terracotta - Le Mans - 17th Century

Saint Bishop in terracotta. In two parts, the saint is wearing a high mitre decorated with fleurons, he is dressed in an alb, a lace surplice, a stole and a cope; he holds a closed book in his left hand. Le Mans, 17th century H.: 98 cm From the end of the 16th century, the Le Mans region became an important center of sculptures in the round in terracotta; this material gradually supplanted the use of wood and stone in Maine. Probably initiated by Italian artists from the Loire Valley, this technique experienced a significant boom throughout the 17th century, producing figures marked by Mannerist accents with characters in elegant poses. In the second half of the century, several artists from Le Mans achieved a reputation that extended beyond the region: Étienne Doudieux (1638-1707), Noël Merillon (1632-1691) and Nicolas Bouteiller (1630-1696). Some large pieces were sometimes made and fired in two parts, as here, due to the small size of the pottery kilns used for firing; the pieces were originally assembled by gluing with resin and retouched with plaster.