French Wooden Doll in the Poupee Royale Manner

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17" (43 cm.) Carved wooden head and flat-backed torso, sculpted hair in very high arrangement with sculpted loop curls and red bow at back of head under original coiffe with lace-edged streamers, deeply-defined eye sockets, large painted blue eyes, painted brows and closed mouth, sculpted ears, molded breasts, cloth upper arms, wooden lower arms and loosely pin-jointed legs with painted heeled slippers. Condition: very good, finish is original with some scuffing. Comments: the model, said to portray a lady of Louis XVI court, is wearing her original rich silk gown with embroidered white shawl and brocade center panel, the date of origin, whether late 18th century or early 1900s remains a mystery. The doll is featured in the book The Heart of the Tree by Rosalie Whyel and Jill Gorman, page 89 and in the book Les Poupee Royale by Francois Theimer, page 66.