Head of an apostle, Gothic period. Paris or Ile de France.

Important head of an apostle statue. Long and antiquating features. Erosion due to long exposure to the elements observable on the hair. Limestone deposits. Exceptional sculpture, probably Paris, 13th century.

This head is distinguished by the beautiful face of the apostle with distinctly antique features with a strongly marked mustache which appears in the sculptures of northern France at the end of the 13th century and develops at the beginning from the 14th century with fine Parisian examples by Guillaume de Nourriche and Robert de Lanoy (Saint-Jacques de l\Hôpital)
Related works: Statue of Saint-Jacques in Beauvais, statues of Saint Jacques de l'Hôpital, Paris.
Bibliography: The sculpted and painted decoration of the Saint-Jacques-aux-Pèlerins hospital Françoise Baron, Gothic sculpture, Pierre-Yves Le Pogam Set in Stone the face in medieval sculpture MET Museum