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Marie-Christine Maitre de Tarragon was born in
Burgundy
, France. She grew up in the family chateau, surrounded by art and horses. Her
great-grandfather, the Marquis de Valdahon, was a renowned eighteenth century
painter. Her grandmother, the Countess Marie de Tarragon studied art under the
master Redoute. Her uncle, Count Richard de Tarragon, was a sculptor in the Bugatti
tradition. His mentor was the sculptor PomPon, whose work is in the
Museum
of
Dijon
.
When Marie-Christine moved to
America
, she trained and rode steeplechasers and racing quarter horses. She now trains
reining horses and creates equine sculptures.
Her life with her horses and her art is intertwined. Throughout history, no animal
has surpassed the horse as an object of human passion. The first conquest of Alexander
the Great was the untamable Bucephalus; Richard the Third cried, "My kingdom for
a horse"; Jeanne d' Arc's war horse was an emblem of her knighthood. Through the
centuries, the horse has embodied the human search for a particular kind of ideal
- nobility without pride, beauty without vanity, fidelity without covetousness.
Marie-Christines' sculptures reflect her passion for the magnificent animal whose
energy and independence embellishes our surroundings. People are often portrayed
meditating or standing slightly apart as if in search of their own soul, the horse
being the catalyst of their quest - not so much an animal, but an emotion.
"All my life, horses have been my constant companions. They taught me courage,
compassion and patience and their attentive ears are tuned to my heart."
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