At the age of 7, Ernest Massuet was gifted a horse from his grandfather. He spent long hours with Daina, a mare, and grew attached to it. Ernest’s childhood memories of horse riding and passion for horses eventually built a passion within that encouraged him to sculpt horses. “In my childhood memories I have a special place for the long hours that I spent creating animals from clay or plasticine, especially the flocks of white horses that came out of my dreams and which I modelled to store in boxes.”

It was when he was sculpting a horse of his coach’s when his coach sat him down to have a chat. His coach advised Ernest to leave everything and dedicate himself to the art of sculpting, that this was his vocation. Ernest’s adventure as a sculptor went on for a long time, and he was taught by many teachers to perfect his technique and recreate it in porcelain. Eventually he won the Scholarship Lladró Porcelain and learnt at the brand’s workshop to master the language of porcelain and to make anatomically perfect horses.

Technically speaking, one of the biggest challenge is to maintain the correct balance of the piece, supported on four legs, when passing through the kiln. In the firing process all Lladró pieces undergo a reduction in size of around 15% due to water loss. Therefore, succeeding in keeping the right proportions of a piece of this kind is a great achievement.

Notable pieces created by Ernest Massuet:

Spanish Pure Breed Horse Sculpture Limited Edition

Faithfully inspired by the examples at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, the Spanish horse represents one of the most prestigious and admired breeds in the world of horsemanship. The elegance, nobility and beauty of these horses is portrayed in this limited edition sculpture with great anatomical precision and adorned with extraordinary decorative work. The bridle, chest, saddle and blanket are richly decorated with golden lustre, while the bite and stirrups are made of gold-plated brass, with one of the reins and stirrups of natural leather. The intense blue and gold star in the exquisitely decorated harnesses, in contrast with the whiteness of the skin of this magnificent specimen which, while so naturally executing an exhibition step, demonstrates all the elegance of a Spanish thoroughbred.

Quarter Horse Sculpture Limited Edition

Thanks to Lladró's long tradition in the art of depicting horses, all the features of the strong quarter horse are well captured in this sculpture, especially on its of powerful anatomy, showing off the most developed muscle in its species. The saddle is decorated in silver and gold tones using the complex metallic lustre technique. Part of the complexity of making this piece, is to keep the right proportions during the firing process in the kiln, where all pieces undergo a reduction in size of around 15% due to water loss, a challenge specially for horses, which are supported solely on their four slender legs. Also available in matt white variant.

Icarus Sculpture

This creation depicts Icarus in his attempt to fly too close to the sun, a symbol of determination and the desire to go further. A piece of white matt porcelain with details of golden lustre, this sculpture is a true display of artistic and technical balance, with great decorative potential.

Horse Race Sculpture Limited Edition

The thrilling energy of a horse race, captured in all its movement and with faithfulness to the smallest detail in this creation, stands out in an all white sculpture, silhouetted against the dark background. A matt white porcelain piece with glossy highlights for decorative impact, the perfect gift to a lover of horse riding.

Unbreakable Spirit Horse Sculpture

The Unbreakable Spirit piece showcases the beauty and power of the horse, represented with vigour and energy, as a force that emerges from the medium. The dynamic movement of a horse shows Ernest’s ability to sculpt horses in a lifelike manner, even in movement.

Ernest’s stable of works shows his passion for horses which then progressed to sculpting figurines in porcelain. He travels extensively around the world for demonstrations for the brand, and his pieces are showcased in several museums and are collected by luminaries around the world, and is even collected by the Queen of England.