Michel Chaudun
les Figurines ou ‘Trophées’ du Chocolat
circa 2014
Of the four intimately decorated vitrines paving the façade of this chocolaterie, I looked most closely at the one displaying this sweet huddle of animals. Their features, perhaps difficult to see from this photograph, are moulded and carved so finely into the chocolate that it is clear the artisan(s) left no detail unchecked. The brooding hen and her hyper chicklets could easily illustrate three-dimensionally a quality children’s tale, with both a visual and tasty satisfaction for any child who may only have a ten-minute attention span. The rabbits, too, are as animated and as skilfully rendered, to the point that they may even discourage one from nibbling off so much as the tip of an ear. Being incredibly small (the darkest ‘Thumper’ rabbit in the foreground measuring only half the length of a regular pinky finger), it is also surprising to realise that, up close, the animals are quite sturdy for such edible creations. I was nearly tempted to buy one merely for the sake of preserving it in a glass jar, but I then thought better of the idea. Eternalising such transient treasures as these into words is better than selfishly caging them in a mould-prone coffin. That said, it is fortunate for us that singular boutiques as Michel Chaudun strive to keep alive the timeless legacy of hand-made, beautiful creations in an age where too many are slowly succumbing to the mirth of heartless gadgets and falling standards.
