Head of a Youth

Unknown

ca. 1150–75 · Limestone · Medieval Art

The pilgrimage church of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard reveals the strong influence of antiquity on Romanesque art in France. This head can be associated with the church on stylistic grounds and demonstrates the influence of locally available ancient Roman sculpture. The ancient tradition was transformed through the simplification and stylization of facial features. Surprisingly the left and right sides of the face reveal two different stylistic modes.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1150–75

Medium

Limestone

Culture

French

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Bequest of Meyer Schapiro, 1996