A large (?) carved limestone corbel in high relief depicting - Lot 8

A large (?) carved limestone corbel in high relief depicting a child lying on his back with rounded, full forms, chubby arms and legs, and a rounded belly; a round head with prominent almond-shaped eyes and a small mouth with full lips; completely naked, he pulls his arms across his chest, his legs spread wide, revealing the full nakedness of his anatomy, Southwest France?, 12th century H. 57 cm - W. 34 cm (minor chips and erosion) Provenance: - In a Parisian family for two generations The geographical origin of this curious sculpture is unfortunately unknown. It is one of those works belonging to a primitive Romanesque art whose style appears to be inherited from Gallic art. Subjects considered obscene in medieval sculpture are not particularly rare; they are most often relegated to the exterior of churches, mainly in the modillions, allowing sculptors to express their humor and imagination for everyone’s amusement. These entertaining subjects seem to be found more particularly in central or southwestern France on certain churches in Saintonge, Angoumois, Poitou, or Gironde, such as at the Church of Saint-Maurice in Saint-Morillon (fig.).