Polychrome Terracotta Figurine Depicting An Orientalist Scene – Bernhard Bloch Manufactory, Bohemia, Circa 1900

A charming polychrome terracotta sculpture depicting a young Black boy seated on a stool shaped like bamboo, in a pose full of naturalness and mischief. The figure originally held a long pipe, now missing, a detail found on several models in this series.

Research has made it possible to attribute this work to the famous Bernhard Bloch factory in Eichwald, Bohemia. The mark “ BB” accompanied by the model number 4732, stamped into the clay, is consistent with the practices of this important manufacturer, renowned in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the quality of its artistic terracotta pieces and polychrome sculptures.

The finesse of the modeling, the richness of the original polychromy, and the quality of the craftsmanship attest to the expertise of Bernhard Bloch, whose creations were distributed throughout Europe and rivaled those of Goldscheider.

Despite the absence of its pipe, this sculpture retains all its decorative charm and is a fine example of Bohemian artistic production from the Belle Époque. It has become a rare piece, sought after by collectors of art ceramics, Art Nouveau, and Orientalist sculptures.

Dimensions: approximately 20 cm in height.