RHINOCEROS

“Rhicoceros” is a raku ceramic, measuring 11 x 12.5 x 20.5 cm. It presents the animal in its entirety. The raku sculpture allows to represent the texture of the animal’s skin and thus gives this realistic dimension. Moreover, this realism is due to the many details present; the corpulence, the fine lines of the skin, as well as the facial features. The many reliefs of the sculpture are astonishing. The animal also looks at the ground, as if it were represented in its natural environment. It is a naturalistic and unique sculpture” Raku is a complex enamelling technique that requires several firings. The first cooking is at 980°, then there is the enamel and a second cooking which is faster at 980° also. In addition, at the end of the second firing, the sculpture is then immersed in sawdust. The latter gives rise to a black smoke that will allow the enamel to crack and thus give the different roughness of the work and the relief. Mellier Francine is an artist with a perfect mastery of this technique which allows this impressive result for the animals she represents.