Crocodile Palissy Majolica Figurine

This small oval dish is modeled in the Palissy tradition, with an amusing looking lizard resting in high relief at the center, meticulously detailed in graduated greens and cream. The creature rests on a densely textured ground of organic forms, in which the animal appears to emerge directly from its natural habitat. The colour is applied in lead glazes pooled to suggest depth and shadow. The interior of the base bears a hand-written inscription in iron oxide: "St. Honoré les Bains, mai 1877."

The 19th-century revival of Palissy ware was produced among others by a circle of French ceramists including Charles-Jean Avisseau of Tours, Georges Pull of Paris, Maurice, and Barbizet. The inscription locates this piece precisely in Saint-Honoré-les-Bains, a spa town in Nièvre, Burgundy a region with deep faïence roots given its proximity to Nevers. The date of May 1877 places it firmly within the height of the French Palissy revival.

Good condition. Minor glaze wear consistent with age. No chips or repairs visible.

Period: 1877

Provenance:  Saint-Honoré-les-Bains, Nièvre, Burgundy, France

Materials:  Lead-glazed earthenware

Manufacturer:  Unidentified

Dimensions:  6.5H x 12.5W cm | 2.5H x 5W in