Ceramic Squirrel Sculpture by Charles Lemanceau for St Clément, France

This is a moulded ceramic sculpture of a seated squirrel, attributed to the designer Charles Lemanceau for the Saint-Clément faience manufactory. Produced in France during the interwar period, circa 1930, the figure is modelled in a series of simplified planes. It features a high, curling tail set upon an integral architectural plinth, which incorporates a stepped fan motif and a pine-cone design at the front. The entire surface is finished in a translucent white crackle, or craquelé, glaze. An incised inscription consistent with the signature “Lemanceau” is visible on the front edge of the base, while a green underglaze factory mark on the underside reads “St Clément / Made in France.”

Condition Report

The sculpture presents an even network of craquelure across its surface, which is an intentional effect of the craquelé glaze rather than evidence of structural damage. There are no visible repairs or restored breaks, and the moulded detail remains well-defined. Minor yellowing is apparent within some of the recessed craquelure lines and along the lower edge of the base, consistent with age-related accumulation. Close inspection of the photographs reveals a small number of minor, firing-related surface flaws and tiny glaze skips, which are typical of the production methods of the period. The green underglaze factory mark on the base is worn but remains identifiable. The unglazed bottom rim of the base shows light abrasive wear and small irregularities from the manufacturing process. No loose fragments or active damage are observed.

Dimensions

Weight: 1550gms, Length: 24cm, Width: 14cm, Height: 29cm.

A Mantel or Table Sculpture

The object was produced as a decorative sculpture for a domestic interior, intended for display on a mantelpiece, shelf, or table. Its design, featuring a compact plinth and a strong vertical emphasis from the upright tail, is well-suited for such placement. While the Saint-Clément manufactory produced variants of similar figures that functioned as bookends, this example shows no alteration to the base that would indicate it was made for that purpose. The combination of an animal motif with a geometric, architectural base reflects the interwar market for small sculptural objects that introduced a measure of modernist character into the home. Such pieces were accessible alternatives to fine art sculpture and were widely retailed.

Art Deco Characteristics

The sculptural vocabulary of this piece aligns with the principles of Art Deco design from the 1920s and 1930s. The natural form of the squirrel has been simplified into a series of broad, geometric planes, with an emphasis on silhouette rather than detailed anatomical modelling. The base is given an architectural treatment, where the stepped fan motif and the angled buttress at the rear are formal devices associated with the period's interest in radiating patterns and structural symmetry. The choice of a monochrome white craquelé glaze is also consistent with interwar French faience production. This provided a refined surface finish that served as a popular alternative to the more traditional polychrome decorations of earlier periods.

The Art of Earthenware and Craquelé Glaze

The production of this sculpture would have commenced with a plaster mould, into which an earthenware slip or clay body was pressed or poured. The defined mould seams and planar surfaces visible on the object are indicative of this process, which would have been followed by the trimming and refining of the joins. After drying, the piece would have undergone an initial biscuit-firing. It was then coated in a translucent glaze specially formulated to create a deliberate network of fine cracks, or craquelure, upon cooling. The green underglaze factory mark was applied before the final glaze-firing. The presence of minor kiln blemishes and occasional glaze skips is consistent with standard factory production practices at Saint-Clément during the interwar years.

Designed by Charles Lemanceau for St Clément

Charles Lemanceau (1905–1980) was a French designer and modeller active during the 1920s and 1930s. His designs, which were produced by several French manufactories including Saint-Clément, frequently paired stylised animal forms with architectural bases and were finished with glazes suited to contemporary domestic interiors. The incised inscription on the plinth of this sculpture, together with the green underglaze factory mark, is consistent with known examples that connect Lemanceau’s designs to production at Saint-Clément. Established in Lorraine, the Saint-Clément manufactory was a significant producer of earthenware and faience throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, supplying goods to department stores and specialist retailers across France and beyond.

Collected by Enthusiasts of French Interwar Design

Works of this type are valued by collectors of French interwar decorative arts, particularly for their documented maker attributions and connection to a known manufactory. The appeal of these ceramic animalier sculptures is broadened by the range of variants produced by Saint-Clément, which included different colourways, glaze finishes, and functional forms such as freestanding figures and bookends. Authentication is typically established through the analysis of maker’s marks, incised signatures, and comparison with documented examples in museum collections and auction records. The object’s identifiable features make it a relevant piece for the study of commercial Art Deco design and its distribution into domestic settings during the early twentieth century.