Lovers' Box On A Dolmen - Charles Maillard - Henriot Factory - Brittany

Polychrome earthenware, circa 1930.
Restoration of a chip on the underside.

Charles Maillard (1876 - 1973):
Sculptor and ceramist born in Cholet. Charles Maillard attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Angers before entering the École Nationale Supérieur des Beaux-Arts in Paris where he frequented the studios of two renowned sculptors Louis-Ernest Barrias and Jules-Félix Coutan, but also the Académie Julian. From 1901, Charles Maillard exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes français, he also competed for the Prix de Rome, without however winning it. Among his major works are numerous war memorials erected after the First World War. He collaborated with the Manufacture Henriot during the interwar period proposing the edition of numerous groups, often around tableware. In 1926, Charles Maillard signed a contract with the Manufacture de Sèvres, which demonstrates the recognition of his talent in the field of ceramics. Although the specific details of this collaboration are less documented than his work with the Manufacture Henriot in Quimper, this association with Sèvres indicates his commitment to high-quality projects and his integration into the prestigious artistic circles of the time. Breton themes appear in his work from 1926 onwards.