Sculpture, Calco - 18 cm - Plaster

Fascinating and rare atelier plaster cast, coming from France and dating to the late 19th to early 20th century. The sculpture belongs to the famous and evocative European tradition of funerary masks (death masks) and life casts (moulage sur nature).

Since antiquity, and with a huge peak of popularity in 19th-century France, plaster was poured onto the faces of the deceased (often eminent figures, but also anonymous individuals admired for their beauty) to immortalize forever their facial features before burial. These masks were then replicated by the great Parisian studios as anatomical models of chiaroscuro for the Écoles des Beaux-Arts, or exhibited in the studios of Bohemian artists as memento mori with deep lyricism.

The face presents with the iconic and solemn serenity typical of post-mortem casts: the eyes are clearly closed and marked by the natural sinking of the eyelids, the lips are clenched in an expression of absolute quiet. The surface shows the typical porosity of period plaster and a beautiful original patina of the time, which gives the piece a mysterious aura and a strong visual impact. An extraordinary collectible object, ideal for lovers of eclectic antiques, historical portraiture, and atmospheric design.