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| The Simpleton | |
|---|---|
| German: Der Schaafkopf | |
 | |
| Artist | Franz Xaver Messerschmidt |
| Year | 1777 - 1783 |
| Medium | alabaster |
| Dimensions | 43 cm× 23 cm× 32 cm(17 in× 9.1 in× 13 in) |
| Location | Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna |
The Simpleton (German: Der Schaafkopf) is a sculpture bust by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, one of the Character Heads.
The sculptures dimensions are 43 × 23 × 32 centimeters. [1] It is in the collection of the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, in Vienna. [2]
The bust is one 64 "canonical grimaces" of the human face using himself as a model.
In 1781, German author Friedrich Nicolai visited Messerschmidt at his studio in Pressburg and subsequently published a transcript of their conversation. It appears that for many years Messerschmidt had been suffering from an undiagnosed digestive complaint, now believed to be Crohn's disease, which caused him considerable discomfort. In order to focus his thoughts away from his condition, Messerschmidt devised a series of pinches he administered to his right lower rib. Observing the resulting facial expressions in a mirror, Messerschmidt then set about recording them in marble and bronze.
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt was a German-Austrian sculptor most famous for his "character heads", a collection of busts with faces contorted in extreme facial expressions.
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The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of the city, on the south-eastern edge of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds are set on a gentle gradient and include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and majestic wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.
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Messerschmidt or Messerschmitt is an occupational surname of German origin, which means cutler or knifemaker, from the Middle High German words mezzer "knife" + smit "smith". It may refer to:
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A simpleton is a stock character in folklore who lacks common sense.
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Media related to Character head No. 17 (The Simpleton) at Wikimedia Commons  | This sculpture article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
