Museum – Figurative Match Holder – Woman With An Apron – Anthropomorphic Sculpture – Folk Art

Second half of the 19th century France – Massif Central Charming carved wooden match holder depicting a standing woman, her hands tucked under her apron forming the scraper. The head, hollowed out at the top, has a large opening intended to receive the matches. This domestic object testifies to the ingenuity and fantasy specific to 19th century folk art. The face, expressive and slightly caricatured, evokes the village types observed in the rural world: broad smile, narrowed eyes, kerchief tied around the head. This familiar figure – housewife, nurse or gossip – embodies peasant daily life with humor and tenderness. The craftsman, probably self-taught, was able to translate into wood the liveliness and good nature of a typical character. The woodwork, precise and spontaneous, reveals a full and dense relief. The patina, warm and deep, highlights the traces of use and the age of the piece. Beyond its function, this small match holder illustrates the popular taste for anthropomorphic objects, where social observation mixes with mischief. It alone sums up a whole rustic, inventive and witty art of living. Condition: beautiful old patina, slight wear from use, small loss on the scraper. Dimensions: height 11 cm ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.