Xavier Jarry-Lacombe - Sculpture - Ceramic Art

My project is to produce a piece based on the photo below : "Anubis", a masterpiece of ancient Egypt, discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamen. This is the second time that I am interested in this piece. My goal is not to reproduce exactly, because for that, I should have the original work under the eyes. With only pictures, I will inspire me.
To achieve this piece my choice was made on a grogedgrog : crushed fired clay mixed
with raw clay stoneware, a stable clay, compact and well resistant to thermal shocks.
Here is the complete history of its development.

The first step is to form a very rough outline, consisting of clay blocks superimposed on each other, according to the dimensions of the proposed sculpture. The whole is briefly jointed then covered with a plastic film and put to rest for one or two days to allow the clay to stabilize.

During the second stage, the shape is gradually relieved with a wire edged mirette. During this process, 70% of the initial mass will be eliminated. Note the wooden support under the head to maintain good incinaison of the head and minimize the natural collapse of the clay.

The back train is cut, to allow the partial scooping outscooping out : the pieces must be empty
to avoid risk of explosion during cooking.
If necessary, ventilation holes are be
provided for the free circulation of air. of the part. The remainder of clay will be evacuated by the head, which will be also cut then then stiked again. Clay remaining will be it by the base, when the piece will be sufficiently dry to be turned over.

Cutting head. The body is scooped out by the neck using a large mirette of sculptor. The head is scooped out in its turn. The muzzle is cut to facilitate the operation.

Now the piece is hollow with walls from two to three centimetres thickness, which leaves a sufficient margin to carve it. With a little clay taken on the piece, a slipslip : mixture of clay and water to creamy consistency
to ensure the sealing of cut parts. is prepared. The cut parts are carefully striated with a knife to avoid any risk of rupture, then coated with a good layer of slip. They are then restuck.

The reconstituted piece is now ready for the final phase, the most difficult and also the longest. It is now a question of carving in detail all the musculature, the legs and of course the head. In the last will come the ribbons which decorate the neck and the breast piece.

The piece is refined in the quest for harmony of proportions. The benchmarks are drawn on the piece for the finishing work.

The musculature, the coasts, the tail are carved. The good symmetry of the eyes is checked out with a compasses in wood.

The piece suffers a serious polishing and all the small imperfections are corrected. The eyes are refined, the ribbons are striated. A patient smoothing finishing is carried out with a slightly wet brush. The piece is put to dry for approximately three weeks, after which the work of decoration will start, object of the second part.