Crowned man's head in limestone (tufa), carved in the round - Lot 202

Crowned man's head in limestone (tufa), carved in the round and polychromed. The oval face reveals a certain softness of the flesh, forming a slight crease under the full cheeks, towards the chin. The mouth is closed and well defined, and the eyes are hemmed and almond-shaped. The hair is composed of straight, straight locks, combed back to cover the ears; a large bonnet supporting a flowery crown caps this head. Loire Valley, late 15th century. H. 21 cm (accidents and restorations) This face is strongly influenced by its period, and is reminiscent of portraits of King Charles VIII (1470-1498) (bust in the Bargello Museum in Florence, attributed to Antonio del Pollaiolo (1432?-1498), with the same bonnet with the edges turned up at the back) or Louis XII (1462-1515). However, the crown is not fleur-de-lis but fleur-de-lis, making this comparison difficult. Expert : Benoit BERTRAND.