Head thumbnail 1
Not on display

Head

ca. 1100-25 (carved)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)

It has not been possible to find any convincing comparisons with this head. While Istarian stone, in which this is carved, argues for an origin in North-east Italy, it is difficult to date this head accurately. It is suggested that it protruded horizontally from the corner of a pulpit -pulpits of this type did not exist before the 11th century. It is also possible that this head formed part of a caryatid support for a stoup. Figures with heads of similar size to this support such a stoup in Verona Cathedral. This Verona stoup is dated to the beginning of the 12th century.

Object details

Category
Sculpture
Object type
Head
Materials and techniques
Istrian stone
Brief description
Head of a man. Northern Italian, ca. 1100-25.
Physical description
The head, which is fully carved in the round, represents a bald man with moustache, heavy eyebrows, protuberant eyes, and tufts of hair in front of the ears.
Dimensions
  • Height: 16.5cm
Summary
It has not been possible to find any convincing comparisons with this head. While Istarian stone, in which this is carved, argues for an origin in North-east Italy, it is difficult to date this head accurately. It is suggested that it protruded horizontally from the corner of a pulpit -pulpits of this type did not exist before the 11th century. It is also possible that this head formed part of a caryatid support for a stoup. Figures with heads of similar size to this support such a stoup in Verona Cathedral. This Verona stoup is dated to the beginning of the 12th century.
Bibliographic references
  • Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. London, 1932. p. 1.
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: HMSO, 1964. cat. no. 3. fig. no. 3.
  • Arnoldi, Francesco Megri. Scultura Italiana al Victoria and Albert Museum I & II. Commentari. anno XXI. June-July 1970. p. 18.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.72-1923

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O14776/head-unknown/
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