Head Of Saint Anne In Stone - Burgundy, 16th Century

This carved head in burgundian stone represents Saint Anne, the venerable mother of the Virgin Mary, whose cult expanded in the 16th century. Depictions of the saint teaching her daughter to read flourished in France. Our sculpture probably comes from one of these “Virgin's Education” groups. Framed by a wimple, worn in the 16th century by widows or elderly women, Saint Anne's face, delicately carved in stone, reflects a serenity imbued with gravity. Her features are marked by a certain austerity. Her slightly sunken cheeks evoke a mature wisdom. Her closed mouth with drooping corners and finely drawn lips, frozen in an expression of calm, accentuate the impression of dignity and contemplation of our figure.