331 - EXCEPTIONAL MASTERPIECE BY A MASTER CARPENTER

EXCEPTIONAL MASTERPIECE BY A MASTER CARPENTER Master carpenter’s work in the shape of a bell tower crowned with a spire, made of walnut; the spire is round with multiple grooves, and the roof is framed by four pairs of secondary rafters in a pyramidal structure. Blois, circa 1870. H. 86 x W. 30.5 x D. 30.5 cm. Provenance Henri Klinger Collection. History After several years of apprenticeship or training under a master craftsman, the future journeyman would undertake a Tour de France, during which he could acquire new technical skills and gain professional experience. This Tour typically culminated in the creation of a masterpiece that had to be approved by a jury. Once accepted, the young apprentice was established and recognized in his profession and earned the title of Compagnon du Tour de France. This roof structure appears to be inspired by a 12th-century work, likely that of the Abbey Church of Saint-Laumier in Blois.