American Portrait Doll of 15th Century Countess by Dorothy Heizer

Live Auction

10" (25 cm.) Of padded fabric over wire armature with well-defined details of face and fingers, painted facial features, closed mouth, hair captured in a very distinctive cone-shaped hat ("hennin") with attached veil of mousseline de soie, wearing padded and lined wine velvet gown with ermine trim at the shoulders, cuffs, and hem, with gilt-patterned underskirt that matches the hat, black slippers, and with exceptional detail of applied gilt beads, green "emeralds" and "diamonds" at the waist sash and forming an elaborate necklace. Condition: near mint. Marks: Dorothy Wendell Heizer (original sewn-in label). Comments: American artist, Dorothy Heizer, mid-1940s; in the book, Dorothy Heizer, by Helen Bullard, the author devotes an entire chapter to "Making the French Countess of XV Century" and provides an elaborate explanation of the construction of all of her dolls, and the costume details of this particular model which was inspired by "an illumination from a French manuscript showing a betrothal". Value Points: rare model, perfectly preserved, with exquisite detail of face and costume. Included is the artist sketch of the costume and a four page handwritten letter by Dorothy Heizer describing her concept for this doll.