Superb French Bisque Art Character Doll Designed by Jeanne Van Rozen

15" (38 cm.) Bisque socket head portraying adult man with angular features, blue glass eyes set deeply into narrow eye sockets, tinted ochre eyeshadow, arched feathered brows, accented nostrils on strongly shaped nose, closed mouth with accent line between the lips, brunette mohair wig, French composition and wooden fully jointed body. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Van Rozen France Depose (raised lettering at back of head). Comments: Paris, circa 1915, designed by Belgian-born artist Jeanne Van Rozen in the early 20th century. Acclaimed for her bronze sculptures of animals and soldiers, the artist became inspired by the French Renaissance of the Doll movement of the early 1900s, sculpting two different facial models for dolls, one smiling and the other (this example) solemn. According to The Encyclopedia of French Dolls by Theimer "it is likely that only a very few were ever made". Value Points: the very rare model with historical significance in doll chronology, sculpted by renowned named artist, with compelling expression enhanced by hand-pressed details, wonderful antique woolen uniform with epaulets, brass buttons, and bi-corn hat.