Although terracottas were originally intended as an intermediate stage in making sculpture, they were also prized and collected as works of art. By the 1760s undecorated terracotta had become fashionable, especially in France. It was used to produce a variety of sculptural work, including decorative domestic pieces. This charming head with its virtuoso approach to modelling is exactly the type of object that was displayed in fashionable interiors. The high degree of finish and finely rendered detail are matched by the technical expertise needed to ensure a successful firing at a high temperature.