Photography — SG-FR-010
Stitt Gallery · SG-FR-010 · France 🇫🇷
The Set
A set of four cast-stone (reconstituted stone) garden cherubs — putti — each personifying one of the Four Seasons through a distinct attribute: a sheaf of wheat, a basket of grapes carried on the shoulder, a gathered bouquet of flowers, and a fourth figure wrapped in drapery. This is one of the most enduring subjects in French garden statuary, drawing on a Baroque and Neoclassical decorative tradition that continued in cast and reconstituted stone well into the 20th century.
Each figure stands 71cm high and carries an honest, age-appropriate weathered patina — the kind of surface that only comes from years outdoors, with the soft grey-green tone and surface wear collectors look for in genuine garden statuary. The set is unattributed to a specific workshop; the style and material are consistent with the classic French cast-stone Four Seasons genre generally dated circa 1900–1920, though we present this as a stylistic observation rather than a documented date.
At 71cm, each cherub sits comfortably in the "mini garden statue" bracket favoured for smaller plots — proportioned for a courtyard, terrace or compact garden rather than a grand parterre, where a statue this scale reads clearly without dominating the space. Grouped as a set of four they anchor a border or flank a path; individually, each still stands as a complete, well-realised garden ornament in its own right.
Specifications
| Style | The Four Seasons — French garden statuary |
| Period | Style consistent with c.1900–1920, unattributed |
| Height | 71 cm each |
| Width | 24 cm each |
| Depth | 22 cm each |
| Weight | 26.5 kg each (106 kg the set) |
| Configuration | Set of four, each a different season |
| Material | Cast stone (reconstituted stone) |
| Condition | Honest weathered garden patina throughout |
| Sold as | Set of four (preferred) · individually at a premium |
| Price | €3,200 the set · €1,150 individually |
| Gallery Ref | SG-FR-010 |
Photography — SG-FR-010
Construction & Detail
A curly-headed cherub cradles a bound sheaf of wheat against its hip — the traditional attribute of Summer and the harvest, a subject constant across French garden statuary of this genre.
A second figure carries a woven basket of grapes and vine fruit balanced on the shoulder, drapery falling behind — the classic personification of Autumn and the wine harvest.
A third cherub holds a gathered bouquet of flowers close to the chest, representing Spring — completed by a fourth figure wrapped in drapery, read as Winter.
Reconstituted/cast stone was the standard material for French garden ornament of this type through the early-to-mid 20th century — durable, frost-resistant, and designed to weather naturally outdoors.
Decades outdoors have given each figure a soft grey-green surface patina and honest age-related wear — exactly the character collectors seek in genuine garden statuary, not a manufactured distressed finish.
At 71cm, these sit in the sweet spot for a small-to-medium garden, courtyard or terrace — tall enough to read as a proper statue, not so large as to overwhelm a compact plot. Grouped, the four read as a single garden composition; individually, each still stands as a fully realised mini garden statue in its own right.
This piece forms part of our collection of European and Asian antiques available at Stitt Gallery, Poznań.
€3,200 for the set of four
Sold preferably as a complete set of four; individual figures are available separately at €1,150 each. We welcome enquiries from collectors, interior specialists and institutions. Viewing by appointment in Poznań. Given the weight (26.5 kg per figure or 106 kg for the set), shipping is arranged individually — please enquire for a quote.
Gallery reference: SG-FR-010 · stittgallery.com
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