Head of a Bearded Man

myminifactory

This head, an iconic masterpiece of Italian late Gothic art, is widely attributed to Giovanni Pisano, who honed his skills under his illustrious father Nicola Pisano (circa 1220/1225 - circa 1284) at his renowned workshop, affectionately referred to as the "botecca". In terms of style and technique, the head bears a striking resemblance to the numerous sculptures that adorn the reliefs and pedestal bases of his magnum opus: the pulpit at the baptistery in Pisa, which was meticulously carved from marble between 1302 and 1310. Recent research suggests that the head is likely a fragment from the sepulchral monument, now vanished, commissioned for Margaret of Luxembourg in 1311. Giovanni Pisano was the unrivaled master sculptor of his era due to his remarkable ability to seamlessly integrate classical Antiquity's reliefs, often found on sarcophagi, with his own intensely dramatic and highly narrative style. The face is remarkably expressive and lifelike for its time, as the pronounced contrasts between light and shadow created by the holes drilled into the hair and beard dramatically accentuate the emotion. Even the eyes seem to have been brought to life with precision-crafted holes.