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Rare unfinished Medieval head of a knight, likely from a tomb effigy

$25,370.37

£18,250VAT Included

€21,757.75

CA$35,147.30

A$35,478.33

CHF 20,385.95

MX$430,040.09

NOK 235,957.11

SEK 241,016.87

DKK 162,645.24

About the Item

Rare unfinished Medieval head of a knight, likely from a tomb effigy, English, 14th century A.D. (or earlier) Oolitic limestone 37.5 cm high 19 cm wide Provenance: Recovered during landscaping works on an estate in Hampshire. Carved from a single block of oolitic limestone, this roughed out and unfinished helmeted head of a knight has a strikingly powerful presence and is hugely atmospheric. The object also offers a rare insight into the working methods of early sculptors in England. The form has been boldly established through the excavation of two deep, rounded eye sockets beneath arched brows, divided by a strongly projecting nose guard, while the indications of a moustache and beard remain only partially articulated. The many tooth-chisel marks also indicate that the sculpture was abandoned during an intermediate stage of production. Following the initial removal of stone with a point or axe, the tooth chisel was usually employed to refine the principal volumes and prepare the surface for the flat chisel, finer tools and abrasives. The final modelling of the details was never undertaken and this unfinished condition makes precise stylistic dating difficult, however, a ‘post-conquest’ date of the fourteenth century (perhaps earlier) is most likely, given this type of helm is seen in funerary effigies of this period. The object was discovered by the previous owners when they were carrying out landscaping works on their estate in Curdridge, near Botley, in Hampshire. Indeed, both oolitic limestone and accomplished figurative carving were well established in medieval Hampshire, particularly around Winchester.

Dimensions:
Height: 14.77 in (37.5 cm)Width: 7.49 in (19 cm)Depth: 7.88 in (20 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Limestone,Hand-Carved
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1350
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Heavily weathered from being outside for hundreds of years.
Seller Location:
York, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU10896251417812

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