~ 10th Century European Stone Church Decoration ~
This item comes to us from a time when Central Europe was being radically influenced by a new religion sweeping the land(Christianity), and the dramatically shifting power-base that came from the control of huge swathes of the populous.
We believe this carved sandstone head would have adorned a church wall, built sometime during the time of The Holy Roman Empire (843–962).
The huge swing of power at that time, from Rome to the North East brought an end to the kingdoms from where we believe the piece is from, namely those of Bohemia, East Francia, and the other realms that, a few centuries before, made up the Slavic state of Great Moravia (set in land that now forms a lot of the territory of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary).
The face of this ornate piece of skilled mason’s craft, bears what appears to be fire damage which is very likely testimony to the upheavals and unrest that punctuated the sizeable region for years to come.
The mournful visage and its staring eyes may indeed have witnessed the flames of violent upheaval at some time.
Heavy and textured with the erosion of passing centuries, the head is a striking ecclesiastic artefact.
We think it would make an excellent bookend, one that would lend an air both monastic and lyrical to a good shelf decked with the classics.
Another piece from the same site with a smart display stand has been listed with the Antiques Storehouse Ruby Lane number 12205.
~ Dimensions ~
The length of the head (from crown to throat) is 23 cm (9 inches).
The width of the face is 14 cm (5 and a half inches).
The depth is 18 cm (7 inches).
It weighs 5.94 kgs.
~ Condition ~
As the photographs clearly document, time and the elements have eroded this piece without mercy and, as our listing indicates, this piece has survived centuries through times of unrest and turmoil. The features are still for the most part en tact and the pious expression of the face is retained perfectly clearly. It would be impossible to unearth a piece of this heritage without similar wear.
ML (away)