Medardo Rosso's head is copied from an ancient Roman bust in the Louvre. The work is presented intentionally as a fragmentary piece, rather than a complete figure. This approach to sculpture, which was also practised by Rosso's friend and slightly older French contemporary, Auguste Rodin, anticipates an aesthetic that underlies many sculptural works of the twentieth century. Rosso was born in Turin, and trained in Milan. He settled in Paris in 1889, where he established his reputation, and sold works to numerous collectors. He is especially famous for his sculptures in wax.