Pieter d' Hont - Terracotta sculpture | 'Maigret'

This statue was designed by the renowned Dutch sculptor Pieter d'Hont (1917-1997), known for, among other things, the Utrecht cityscapes and the Edison Award.

The design is a preliminary study for the monumental bronze statue that has stood in Delfzijl since 1966 — the place where Simenon conceived the character Maigret in 1929.

Pieter d'Hont has masterfully captured the detective: robust, mysterious, clad in his characteristic overcoat, with his hat on and his iconic pipe held firmly in front of his chest. The rough, expressive texture of the clay gives the statue a powerful and tangible presence.

While the rare bronze castings of this design fetch hundreds of euros at art auctions, this particular example is the terracotta edition. This figurine was published at the time in collaboration with Uitgeverij Bruna (known for the Maigret paperbacks).

This makes the statue the ideal sculpture for the budding art collector or the discerning enthusiast who wants to bring a genuine piece of Dutch art history into their home. You get the exact, powerful design of Pieter d'Hont, but for a fraction of the price of a bronze version.

The whole is in neat condition.