Head of a Prophet (c. 1300–1325): Art, History and Details

Head of a Prophet (c. 1300–1325) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Giovanni Pisano (Italian, c. 1240-c. 1320).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This head exhibits many of the characteristics of the style associated with the workshop of Giovanni Pisano. These are particularly noteworthy in the sensitive carving of the haunting face and its strikingly drilled beard. The head compares favorably to the sculpture made while Giovanni was master of works at Siena Cathedral (1285-97). Recent research suggests that it may once have belonged to a full-length Old Testament prophet looming on the exterior of Siena Cathedral.

Object facts

• Title: Head of a Prophet
• Date: c. 1300–1325
• Creator attribution: Giovanni Pisano (Italian, c. 1240-c. 1320)
• Culture: Italy, Siena
• Type: Sculpture
• Technique: marble
• Dimensions: Overall: 31.8 x 18.6 x 13.4 cm (12 1/2 x 7 5/16 x 5 1/4 in.)
• Collection: MED - Gothic
• Department: Medieval Art
• Accession number: 1977.181

Collection credit

Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.