Terracotta sculptuur van Ceres met een kroon before 1857

This terracotta sculpture of Ceres with a crown was made by Marcel Gustave Laverdet. Terracotta, meaning "baked earth" in Italian, is a humble material, yet capable of great expression. Laverdet has exploited its inherent qualities here. Look closely at the surface. The modelling is direct, you can almost feel the artist’s fingers shaping the clay. The fired clay gives the sculpture a warm, earthy tone that softens the classical formality of the subject. Terracotta has a long history, used for everything from roof tiles to figurative sculpture. Unlike marble, which requires laborious carving, terracotta allows for relatively quick reproduction through molding. This made it a popular choice for garden ornaments and architectural details, bringing classical aesthetics to a wider audience. In this piece, Laverdet engages with this history, creating a work that is both refined and accessible. By celebrating the inherent qualities of terracotta, Laverdet elevates a common material to create an object that is not just beautiful but also deeply resonant with cultural and historical significance.