Vintage Terracotta Santon Couple from Provence 5"

A traditional vintage hand painted terracotta santon couple from the living room at Chanteduc, this Provençal pair once stood in Patricia Wells’s beloved 'Marseille cabinet'. “I only have a few santons, but they were chosen with love and proudly displayed in the ‘Marseille cabinet’ in the living room at Chanteduc,” Patricia explains. Made in Provence, the classic nativity figures are molded in terracotta with a soft matte surface and gentle wear that speaks to age and handling. The woman wears a deep green bodice with a crisp white kerchief and a white apron dotted in red, carrying a woven basket and a long baguette. Her companion, in a brown jacket, green waistcoat, and black hat, holds a small lantern. The palette is warm and grounded, with small paint flecks at the base and lantern post that add pleasing patina. Modest in scale, the figures are finely modeled and easy to place, the hand painting conveying the quiet skill of regional artisans. From Patricia’s personal collection, this well loved souvenir reflects the markets, makers, and shared tables that shape her world between Paris and Provence. It brings an authentic note of terroir to a kitchen or dining room. Style it on a shelf near your breadboard, nestle it in a holiday crèche, meaning nativity scene, or group it with herbs and candlesticks on a mantel for an inviting, time honored vignette.