Sitting Baby - Berthe Savigny - Manufacture Hb Quimper - Brittany

Manufacture HB Quimper.
Height 14 cm.
Polychrome stoneware, circa 1930.
Berthe Savigny (1882 - 1958) : 
Berthe Savigny was born in Quimper. Her father was a wine and spirits merchant, but also an enlightened amateur painter. He was a friend of Gauguin, Appolinaire and Max Jacob. Berthe Savigny grew up in this artistic world. In fact, all her siblings and nephews embarked on artistic careers. The best known of these is undoubtedly her younger brother, Pierre De Belay. Partially deaf as a result of an accident, Berthe was able to break her isolation by practicing art.

In 1926, the success of her famous babies brought her into contact with Manufacture HB. In 1939, the Manufacture tried to sign her to a contract, but was unable to reach an agreement. This did not prevent the Manufacture from producing a series of different models, with the artist retaining ownership of her work.

Berthe Savigny, like her younger brother, was purely self-taught. She not only modeled, she also painted a great deal, even if this aspect of her life is less well known. She had a rich artistic life, working in collaboration with her painter and poet friend Émile Bernard (figure of the Pont-Aven school). While many of her works depict children, she did not neglect landscapes, still lifes and scenes of daily life. Her style is imbued with great tenderness and sensitivity.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)Berthe Savigny was born in Quimper. Her father was a wine and spirits merchant, but also an enlightened amateur painter. He was a friend of Gauguin, Appolinaire and Max Jacob. Berthe Savigny grew up in this artistic world. In fact, all her siblings and nephews embarked on artistic careers. The best known of these is undoubtedly her younger brother, Pierre De Belay. Partially deaf as a result of an accident, Berthe was able to break her isolation by practicing art.

In 1926, the success of her famous babies brought her into contact with Manufacture HB. In 1939, the Manufacture tried to sign her to a contract, but was unable to reach an agreement. This did not prevent the Manufacture from producing a series of different models, with the artist retaining ownership of her work.

Berthe Savigny, like her younger brother, was purely self-taught. She not only modeled, she also painted a great deal, even if this aspect of her life is less well known. She had a rich artistic life, working in collaboration with her painter and poet friend Émile Bernard (figure of the Pont-Aven school). While many of her works depict children, she did not neglect landscapes, still lifes and scenes of daily life. Her style is imbued with great tenderness and sensitivity.