Bust of French Noble Woman

Roman miniature bust of a noble woman, carved marble, Severan Dynasty, c. 225 A.D. Rare and particularly elegant ‘wig portrait’ of a noble woman, belonging to the early 3rd Century - a style distinctive of Severan Dynasty female portrait busts, in which part of the head has been chiselled away to allow for the addition of a separate hairpiece, in many cases from a darker material, in order to create an almost painterly effect, in the interplay of different coloured stones. The degree of naturalism and emotional depth achieved in a piece of such a small scale implies a sculptor of great talent. The subtle parting of the lips, in combination with her upturned, vacant gaze and tired eyes, conveys a pensive mood, and even a quiet melancholy. A woman strolls the town in thick wigs bought with gold, Then buys new hair to complement the old. And having bought, she doesn’t blush! Right there she buys, Before Alcides’ and the Muses’ eyes. (Ovid, Ars Amatoria, III, 161-168) The fashion of wig-wearing in this period, as well as its emulation in the wig portrait bust, is widely attributed to Julia Domna...

An antique Art Deco Carrara marble portrait of a noble woman in a head dress, signed ‘schy’. Thought to be a lady in waiting, this handcarved detailed sculpture has a modernist, mid-...

Very tall elegant Bust in Patinated plaster, representing a noble French Lady. Pedestal in Light Ivory color. France, 19th Century. 63 cm high 24.80 inches high.  

Very tall bust in patinated plaster signed A. Farré on the back, representing a noble gentleman. France, 19th Century. 25.98 inches high.  

Step into the elegance of the Roaring Twenties with this 1920s French Marble Bust of a Woman, a piece reminiscent of the renowned work "Vichy, Sourc...

French painted bisque porcelain bust of a woman French, 19th century Measures: Height 68cm, width 40cm, depth 30cm This fine bust is crafted from painted bisque porcelain. The bust depicts a young woman in a historicised Renaissance style: the sitter tilts her head to her left, her eyes glancing to something in the distance. She wears an ornate feathered head...