Cowherd with Woman from Arles on Horse -– Gardian avec Arlesienne - Size #2 / Elite

Cowherd on Horse -– Gardian avec Arlesienne à cheval

The Gardian sits proudly on his magnificent white horse - riding along with his bulls, or dressed for parade with a beautiful woman from Arles. She wears either a blue or purple dress.

"In the Camargue, bulls and horses live in semi-freedom, generally in herds, called "manades" which the herdsmen follow on horse. The word for herdsman - 'gardian' - comes from the Occitan term 'gardo-besti', which means cattle guardian. The herdsmen gather each year on the 1st of May for the Festival of the Herdsmen. Founded in 1512, the Brotherhood of the Herdsmen (responsible for helping those members who are old, poor, or disabled) is the oldest brotherhood of this kind still present in France today. Their patron saint is St George and he appears on their flag. Originally, herdsmen did not have a specific dress. Marquis de Baroncelli instituted a costume. to give them greater unity and to give the brotherhood a distinctive appearance,when he established the "Nacioun Gardiano" in 1817." - Office of Tourisme, Arles

Some see the Gardian and the Woman from Arles on the Horse to represent Vincent the Basketmaker and Mireille.

Size #2 / Elite (the 2-3/4 inch - 7 cm size)

Made in France