Head of a Young Woman

The dramatic pose and ecstatic expression of this head relate to work by the 17th-century sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini, one of the most adept and accomplished artists of his time. The simple elegance of the head's angled position and the skilled modeling of the opened mouth and eyes suggest an extremely accomplished artist. Evidence of the sculptor’s tools abound: single grooves in the hair above her brow indicate use of the punch, a metal rod; parallel striations along the shoulders and neck reveal the multiple teeth of a claw chisel.