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Head

ca. 1280-1300 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This Bath stone female head was made in England in about 1280-1300. This head is not seriously weathered but does show signs of surface wear, which, together with the damage, suggests that it formed part of an accessible sculpture inside a church, and therefore could either be a corbel head on a low arcade or doorway or a fragment of an effigy of a lady.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Oolitic limestone (Bath stone)
Brief description
Female head, bath stone, English, late 13th century
Physical description
Female head. The lady wears a goffered fillet with a barbette under the chin, the hair on the top of the head and behind the ears is contained in a plain crespine and two tufts of wavy hair are visible at the temples. The head has been broken off in a straight line from the neck so that most of the back of the head is missing. It is badly damaged across the forehead, on the upper lid and eyebrow of the right eye, and on the nose and mouth. There is also a deep hole in the left eye which appears to be the result of vandalism. The fillet is rather worn and has been chipped in several places, and the surface of the whole sculpture appears slightly abraded and pitted. There is no polychromy.
Dimensions
  • Height: 35cm
  • Width: 19cm
  • Depth: 12cm
Credit line
Given by the Architectural Association
Subject depicted
Summary
This Bath stone female head was made in England in about 1280-1300. This head is not seriously weathered but does show signs of surface wear, which, together with the damage, suggests that it formed part of an accessible sculpture inside a church, and therefore could either be a corbel head on a low arcade or doorway or a fragment of an effigy of a lady.
Bibliographic reference
Williamson, Paul and Evelyn, P. Northern Gothic Sculpture 1200-1450. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1988 pp.52,53
Collection
Accession number
A.91-1916

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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