Gothic female head - Rhine, Second half of the 13th century

This very beautiful fragmentary Gothic head in polychrome wood presents a feminine face with ivory skin tones and pink cheekbones. Crowned with hair with graphic locks broken into protruding and re-entrant angles, the latter is marked by a plump fleshy mouth, pronounced nasolabial folds and large eyes with thick eyelids. This type of physiognomy is characteristic of Rhenish sculpture in the second half of the 13th century, as evidenced by an important Virgin and Child attached to the Abbey of Koblenz (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nr. 3186), or a magnificent Rhenish "opening virgin" also preserved in Berlin (Nr. 8035), both very similar to our sculpture. The polychromy of the opening virgin is also very close to that implemented on our head.