Beast Of Gévaudan - Ceramic Dish – H. Constans, “la Bèstio Del Gévaudan” – Popular Art

Dating: 1963 Origin: France, Mende – Creation for the French Federation of Mountain Economy Rare decorative dish in glazed ceramic, made in 1963 by H. Constans, representing a stylized evocation of the Beast of Gévaudan, an emblematic figure of the popular traditions of the Massif Central. In the center of the dish, the black silhouette of a wolf-like creature standing on its hind legs is surrounded by a hand-incised frame, composed of solar rosettes and linear motifs. The circular inscription in Occitan, “LA BESTIO DEL GEVAUDAN”, gives the whole a mythical aura rooted in the collective memory of the Cévennes lands. This work, with its raw and deliberately archaic charm, is part of the neo-popular aesthetic of the post-war period, at the crossroads of craftsmanship, ethnography and regional folklore. It was created as part of a congress held in Mende in 1963, organized by the French Federation of Mountain Economy, with the ambition of promoting local imaginations and identities. Signed H. Constans in hollow in the mass, this object bears witness to a time when popular art was reborn as a vector of memory and cultural claim. Dimensions: 16.5 x 16.5 cm Condition: very good general condition, minimal signs of use. ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.