Head of a Prophet
Giovanni Pisano (Italian, c. 1240-c. 1320)
c. 1300–1325
Medium
marble
Dimensions
31.8 × 18.6 × 13.4 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Accession Number
1977.181
Tags
male
About this artwork
This head exhibits many of the characteristics of the style associated with the workshop of Giovanni Pisano. These are particularly noteworthy in the sensitive carving of the haunting face and its strikingly drilled beard. The head compares favorably to the sculpture made while Giovanni was master of works at Siena Cathedral (1285-97). Recent research suggests that it may once have belonged to a full-length Old Testament prophet looming on the exterior of Siena Cathedral.