Classic vintage French Provencal Santon Clay Doll Figure Village Peasant Garlic Seller Older Woman
11 1/2 inches tall
Signed on clay base but I cannot make out the first letter, Jeymier, Feymier maybe
All terra cotta clay except for arms and legs, base is painted to resemble wood
Hand painted facial features and hair
Dressed in blue and white on black printed pattern fabric skirt and white printed on black apron
Dark yellow blouse and brown printed lined cape with matching head scarf
Linen pantaloons and underskirt trimmed with lace
Holding straw woven basket of garlic, and braided straw strip of garlic
Some on the strip of garlic have just peels left
No fading but retains an attic musty odor from storage
She weighs .58 kg or over 1 1/4 lb before packaging
French Santon dolls and figures are an age old tradition in France, made from terra cotta clay by craftsmen and artists. They began as religious creche figures and figures of Saints, and then they began to make them to honour the everyday Saints of regular French life, the villagers and peasants and workers.