Joseph Le Guluche – Pair Of Polychrome Terracotta Figures Depicting Folk Motifs, Made In France

A beautiful pair of polychrome terracotta sculptures depicting two scenes from everyday life: a young woman at a fountain holding a jug, and a young man standing next to a wicker basket, holding a hat and a gourd. Both figures rest on molded bases and bear incised inscriptions, including “Fabrication Française,” “Terre Cuite,” and a visible model number. The set displays fine modeling, with numerous details in the clothing, faces, wickerwork, and accessories—typical of late 19th-century French decorative terracotta.

About Joseph Le Guluche:
Joseph Le Guluche, a French sculptor born in 1849 and who died in 1915, is particularly known for his mass-produced terracotta works depicting popular, rural, and maritime subjects, as well as female figures. He worked notably for the decorative terracotta manufacturers in L’Isle-Adam and Villenauxe-la-Grande, whose production enjoyed great success at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His works, often polychrome, captivate viewers with their lively, narrative, and decorative quality. Several of his sculptures are now housed at the Louis-Senlecq Museum of Art and History in L’Isle-Adam.