Gilles Matte {Caricature Wood Carver}

This caricature was sculpted by David Sabol, a member of the prestigious Caricature Carving Association. It is called " THE LAST VISIT ". It measures 19" high and 12" wide.

 

Some of his friends asked him to carve a Santa Claus. They had the weird intuition that Santa should not be the plump jolly character that everyone perceived. Instead, he had lived so long as his age would seem more likely. He was emaciated, crooked and joints twisted by arthritis. He had seen the worst things in our world : wars, famine, tyranny and disease. These ravages, without forgetting the September 11 events, have devasted him to the point that he would be on the verge of giving up. That is why they insisted that the title of the sculpture should be " The Last Visit ". However, they asked David to let him have a glimpse of hope in his eyes.

 

And David carved this Santa !