Exhibited at the Cécile-Sabourdy museum until June 30, 2022, the statues of Henri Pagnon (known as Ricou) represent only a tiny part of the work that the artist leaves behind him.
It was in 1927 that the Limousin of Lou Ricou Pagnon was born in Mercerie, commune of Vicq-sur-Breuilh, very close to Magnac-Bourg.
He studied at the school in this town. The young man did his military service in Morocco then bought a farm in La Tamanie, municipality of Magnac-Bourg, in the sixties, to have space and live in nature. Ricou enjoys hunting and fishing and spends part of his spare time restoring his house and barn.
Clock regularity
Skillful with his hands, he builds a boat that he uses to go fishing on the lakes of the Millevaches plateau and which serves as a gondola during the annual fireworks on the pond of the fairground of his municipality. A carpenter by trade, Ricou launches into sculpture in the evening at the vigil from 8:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. with clock regularity.
His first statues come from memories of Africa straight out of the geography books of his childhood. He will then mainly sculpt traditional Limousin characters, typical and sometimes endowed with a great resemblance to neighbors. The artist thus creates more than fifty statues (especially in walnut), carved wooden paintings and furniture with sumptuous decor. Who does not remember his cowards and the sculpted hooves he wore on every occasion?
Soon a book
In retirement, Ricou takes part in many activities such as the gym, archery, theater and badminton. Everything that touched on the Limousin terroir fascinated him to the point of being one of the pillars of the “History and Heritage” association, currently chaired by his lifelong friend Claude Mouret, who moreover dedicates an entire book to him. publication is scheduled for 2022: “There is a lot to say about Ricou, I am happy to bear witness to his long and fascinating life and to present his work”.
Most of the work of Ricou, who died in 2015, was donated to the community of municipalities.
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