Arthur Craco

Overall the condition of the bust is very good with some minor wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is very small stable craquelure to the glaze and some minor pits and minor lacunae consistent with material. There are a few minor chips to the glaze, including at the edges of the truncation. There is a larger loss at the underside of the proper right arm. There are some minor stable fissures to the lower part of the face.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Works by Belgian artist Arthur Craco are rare to appear on the art market: few of his sculptures have been offered at auction and even fewer of the size of the present composition.

Arthur Craco was a compelling artist. His training was in traditional sculpture, but he turned to the medium of ceramic with a strong determination to revive it as a valuable source for decorative arts. He consequently became one of the most important contemporary ceramists in Belgium.

The present earthenware sculpture, Le Chevalier des Mers, is an inspired work of art in which Craco has associated his talents as a sculptor and ceramist, realising a renovation of the ceramic medium. The model is symbolist in theme: aquatic motifs characterise the composition, while Craco has employed the symbolist keynote of closed eyes and the emphasis on introspection, with le Chevalier’s hands pressed to his chest. More specifically, Craco has achieved an effect of suppleness to the surface of the figure, enlivening the utilitarian associations of ceramic. The closed eyes are also evocative of sacred sculpture and the frontal format of the bust and simple composition are particularly reminiscent of medieval devotional objects. Through allusions to modernist artistic movements and sculptural history, Craco elevates the medium of ceramic to something which can equal the heights of other art forms.

Le Chevalier des Mers was first exhibited in 1907 and reproduced in earthenware from 1925. There is a version of the present model in the Museum of Ceramics in Andenne, Belgium (inv. no. Gr. 24). The same figure is also present on two ceramic plates by Craco, in the Museum of Ceramics, Rouen (inv. nos. C 2009.1.1 and C 2009.1.2): a testament to how the conception of Le Chevalier des Mers provided a seminal expression of Craco’s artistic incentive.