Saint Personage in limestone carved in high relief with lead - Lot 165

Saint Personage in limestone carved in high relief with lead inlay for the pupils and blue glass. In a frontal position, the beardless saint presents an elongated face with wide-open eyes, framed by the long curling locks of his hair; his right hand is in a resting position while his other hand holds a book (?) that has retained some of its inlaid ornamentation. Burgundy, first half of the 12th century Height: 37.5 cm - Width: 18 cm - Depth: 28.5 cm (Damage and missing parts) The style of this fine fragment of Romanesque sculpture is reminiscent of the capitals from the former Benedictine abbey church of Notre-Dame et Saint-Jean in Moutiers-Saint-Jean (Côte d'or). After Cluny and Autun, this abbey was the third major example of Burgundian Romanesque art; it was sold during the Revolution and its church completely destroyed in the first half of the 19th century. Its capitals are now dispersed in numerous museums, notably across the Atlantic, while the Musée du Louvre holds two in its collections (inv. RF 1950 and 1992). Expert : Cabinet Laurence Fligny