Jean Tarrit, Portrait of a Woman (1938)

JEAN TARRIT (Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne 1865 - Tangier 1950) Portrait of a Woman. 1938. Plaster. H. 55 cm. Signed, located, and dated: Jean Tarrit / Casablanca / 1938. Jean Tarrit was born in 1865 in Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, a commune situated between Villefranche-sur-Saône and Bourg-en-Bresse, in the Ain department. The son of a clog maker, his talent for drawing and sculpture was recognised by his family, neighbours, and the mayor, who sponsored him. He thus joined the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. From 1895 onwards, he regularly exhibited at the Salon du Printemps in Lyon and the Salon des artistes français in Paris. He created two major works for his hometown: a Saint Sebastian sculpted in wood in direct carving for the Saint-André church in 1906, and later, in 1922, the war memorial for the town. In the 1920s, Tarrit frequently travelled to Morocco, where he eventually settled in Tangier. This bust of an imposing woman is located and dated: "Casablanca 1938". The work showcases all of Tarrit's talent, with pure classicism and striking realism, creating a portrait that is both timeless and specific.