Cupidon French Provincial Sitting Cherub Sculpture, Antique Whitewashed Magnesia 21cm

A small contemplative cherub cast in magnesia and finished in worn antique white, modelled in the classical putto pose with one hand to his cheek and wings folded behind.

Cupidon is a sitting cherub sculpture in the French Provincial tradition, drawing from the putti that populate Renaissance ceilings and Baroque garden statuary. He sits with one knee drawn up, head tilted, chin resting on his hand in a daydreaming pose. The magnesia composite has been hand-finished in antique white, then worn back at the high points of the wings, hair and feet to reveal the warm terracotta-toned base underneath.

At 21 cm tall and 19 cm wide, Cupidon is small enough for a dressing table, bedside, mantel or bookshelf, but with enough presence to anchor a styled vignette on his own. The chippy finish is intentional, finished by hand to read as a piece that has lived in a French country home for decades.

Why we love him

• ◆ Classical pose, not kitsch, the contemplative seated putto reads as art-history rather than gift-shop cherub, suited to grown-up French country rooms.
• ◆ Worn antique finish, the deliberately chippy whitewash over the warm terracotta base gives a hand-finished, slightly aged French Provincial look rather than flat new paint.
• ◆ Right size for a shelf or vanity, 21 cm tall and 17 cm deep sits comfortably on a dressing table, bedside, mantel or bookshelf without dominating the surface.
• ◆ Romantic gift piece, suits engagements, anniversaries, milestone birthdays and christenings as a French Provincial keepsake rather than a generic ornament.

How to style him

Cupidon works best in styled vignettes where his contemplative pose can be read up close.

• Place on a bedside or dressing table beside a porcelain teacup, a vintage book and a small dried floral arrangement.
• Cluster on a mantel with our candle holders and a stack of antique books for a romantic French country tableau.
• Sit on a bookshelf between leather-bound volumes as a sculptural punctuation point.
• Style on a console with toile linen or lace runner, a silver teapot and a small vase of garden roses or hydrangeas.
• Pair with other cherub or angel sculptures from our sculptures and statues collection for a classical garden-room arrangement on a sideboard.

Care & Keeping

Dust Cupidon with a soft dry brush or microfibre cloth to reach into the detailed casting around the wings, hair and folded drapery. For deeper cleaning, use a barely damp cloth followed by an immediate dry. Do not immerse in water and not dishwasher safe. Indoor use only. Place on a stable level surface away from edges where he could be knocked.

Because Cupidon is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, chippy paint and base tone are natural and add to the unique character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.