Dame Henrietta French Provincial Nesting Hen Statue, Rust Cast Iron 21.5cm

A hen settled down on the nest, tail up, not moving for anybody.

Dame Henrietta is a nesting hen cast in solid iron and finished in a natural rust patina, body broad and low, head held forward with a small comb and wattles, and the tail feathers sweeping up and back in a high arch behind her. She weighs 2.2 kg, which is the difference between cast iron and the resin figures that copy this shape. Every feather across the back and the tail is worked separately.

At 21.5cm across and 18.5cm tall she is a low, wide piece that sits well on a broad flat surface. She is built for outdoor life: the weight and the low centre of gravity keep her put, and the rust patina is a finish rather than a fault, so weather deepens her instead of wearing her out.

Why we love it

• ◆The pose, settled right down on the nest rather than standing, which reads as a hen who has been there a while
• ◆The tail, a high arched sweep of separated feathers that gives her a silhouette from across a room
• ◆The plumage, worked feather by feather over the whole body, which is where cast iron beats moulded resin
• ◆The weight, 2.2 kg sitting low and wide, so she is very hard to knock over

How to style it

She is low and wide with a broad flat base, so she wants a surface rather than a spot in the planting.

• Set her on a kitchen bench or the end of an island
• Put her on a dresser shelf among the plates
• Stand her on a garden table or a wide wall cap
• Pair her with Chancellor Percival at 42cm, the rooster of the range
• Group her with the rest of our garden sculptures

Care & Keeping

Wipe with a soft dry cloth to lift dust out of between the tail feathers and around the comb. The rust patina is a finished surface and needs no sealing. Place a felt pad or a saucer underneath on pale stone or painted timber, and keep harsh chemical cleaners and abrasive pads away from her.

Because Dame Henrietta is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, texture, and grain 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.