Santons de Provence “Little Saints of Provence” by Claude Carbonel 26 cm $85.00 each / 18 cm $65.00 each Man with Lavender 26 cm Woman with Lavender 26 cm These beautiful, hand-made, red clay figures are collectibles very close to the hearts of the people of France who believe they bring cheerfulness and happiness to their homes. Santon comes for the Provencal “santorion”, or little saints. Deeply rooted in the Provencal culture, they depict the colorful people, traditional trades, activities and costumes of Provence. Santons have come to typify the people of Provence, their work and their trade, and they are generally depicted in 19th Century dress. Because religious hierarchy is closely linked to the monarchy, the French Revolution banned all religious figures presentation. Provencal people, too attached to their creche, decided to replace the nativity figures with people of their own villages: the Baker, Shepherd, Fisherman, etc. They became the “Little Saints” or “Santons”, first created in the village of Aubagne near Marseille. As each Santon is individually hand-crafted, each one is unique in itself. After crafting each santon with local clay the santon is slowly baked for up to 20 hours! The artist then adds finishing touches: resculpting parts, hand-painting, and dressing them in traditional Provencal clothing. HOME
La Provence  4 Main Street  Rockport, MA 01966  Tel: (978) 546-5868
Contact: laprov_rockport@hotmail.com
Woman Baker 26 cm Woman with Garlic 26 cm Baker 26 cm Chef 26 cm Flower Girl 18 cm Shepherdess 26 cm Woman with Wheat 26 cm Fisherman in Blue 26 cm