* Important dromadaire par Moïse Chemla, dit Mouche... Lot n° 139

Tunisia, circa 1910 Large terracotta sculpture, painted and enameled in polychrome under a transparent glaze. The dromedary (or camel), loaded with jars, is shown seated, mouth half-open, tongue hanging out. The baskets on its back bear a black Arabic inscription. Signed on the central jar with the fish motif, mark of Mouche Chemla, and the inscription Al Fkhakhrya (the earthenware makers). Condition: small chips and restorations. H. 43 x W. 43 x D. 60 cm Inscriptions: Lady Robinson, ḥafaẓahu Allāhu bil-karāma wa-sa'āda May God the benevolent keep her in his protection and felicity. This exceptional sculpture is a tour de force for the artisan potter. Of imposing size, it was modeled and then glazed before firing, while mastering the shrinkage of the clay. Photographed around 1910 - it seems - in the Chemla family workshop, the signature indicates that the piece was decorated by Mouche, the youngest of the brothers. In the workshop photograph, the dromedary - not yet painted - is the central subject, around which the craftsmen proudly pose. The dedication to Lady Robinson recalls the links between the Chemla workshop and the United Kingdom. Within the workshop, the painter Gabriel Pariente (signature to thought) is the daughter of the Honorary Consul of Great Britain in Tunis. In 1908, Chemla's work was exhibited in London at a Franco-British exhibition designed to showcase the products of both countries, in particular those of their colonies and protectorates. For Jacob Chemla, this marked the beginning of a commercial policy to promote products beyond Tunisia. For the British Embassy at the Porte de France in Tunis, the factory created the interior and exterior decorations that can still be admired today. Around 1910, Jacob Chemla joined forces with Maurice Trouillet and Paul Bellenger; the factory employed 120 workers and operated under the aegis of the Tunisian government's Arts Commission. His son Mouche was only 13, but had already been visiting the workshop for 2 years, producing his first drawings. The "Poterie Chemla" was active from 1880 to 1966, first in the Qallaline district, then in Nabeul. The factory flourished, exporting to Algeria and above all to the United States. Provenance : Public sale, United Kingdom, Former Scottish collection. This lot is sold as a temporary import. Bibliography: J. Chemla, M. Goffard, L. Valensi, Un siècle de céramique d'art en Tunisie, les fils de J. Chemla, Tunis, ed. Demeter, 2015, reproduced p. 36. A very large enamelled pottery in the shape of a camel, dedicated to Lady Robinson, by the Chemla workshop circa 1910, Tunisia.