Collection record · Objects & craft
Female Bust
The collection record classifies this work as sculpture. It is dated c. 1470–1500. Recorded culture or place: Austria.
Explore the object recordOBJECT RECORD
A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Female Bust
- Date
- c. 1470–1500
- Culture / origin
- Austria
- Materials and technique
- Painted and gilded lindenwood
- Dimensions
- without base: 47 cm (18 1/2 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1962.283
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
This female bust is part of a series of three in the museum's collection. The identity of the figures has been speculated by scholars but without resolution. Because this and the other female busts in the series do not retain their attributes, it is difficult to know their original purpose. It is possible that they may have once formed a group of female saints from the predella of a large altarpiece. Since the sculpture is not carved in the round, this hypothesis has merit. Another recent proposal is that this and the other sculptures may be from a series of female busts representing the wise and foolish virgins referenced in Matthew 25:1-13, a parable by Jesus admonishing listeners to be spiritually prepared.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · John L. Severance Fund · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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