High quality piece of late medieval sculpture. From a life-size statue or group, this fine head belongs to a woman from the Holy Gospel, perhaps the Virgin, from a Pieta group, Saint Anne, or a Holy Woman from a Sepulcher group.
The head itself is realistic, only betrayed by half closed, highly stylised eyes with a deep expressionist value. The carving is smooth, conveying a sense of tender resignation, highlighted by the polished surface.
The drapery is typical of the XV c. The figure wears a wimple and a chin-piece with a fluted edge covering her head and part of her face. Visible also is part of her cloak wich covers her head. A similar garment can be seen on the Virgin statue from Ouges in Burgundy.
In style and technic, the bust can be compared to works of the Champagne, Bourgogne and Bourbonnais regions of the XV c., exemplified by figures such as Michel Colombe and works such as the Souvigny Entombment. The Bourbonnais school of sculpture, reaching its climax in the 1480-1520 period, created an original alternative to Flemish-inspired Burgundy sculture, and the rising Italian influence. The gothic scultpure was evolving on its own without the need for an external Renaissance, which later eclipsed it completely.
Visible lacks on the face - nose tip, lips, chin, and the drapery.
Material : Limestone
Origin : France
Provenance : French art market
Period : mid XV c.
Dimensions : H. : 27 cm
