Doe and Hope

Description

The life size artists study painted carved wood and gesso mannequin head model of a child with oriental features, hand painted, the whole with blue/green highlights, realistically rendered, survives from an artist’s studio from the first quarter of the twentieth century.

The condition of the head is certainly decorative and remains stable but with a lot of wear and craquelure to the painted surface. The entire surface of the head has differing coloured patches and wears to it making it a very interesting and characterful piece.

Humans are obsessed with self-representation and even though this is an inanimate object it has a tremendous power to attract, and perhaps also repel, like few others.