Figurehead in natural wood. - Lot 174

Figurehead in natural wood. Elegant young woman dressed in a flounced, whalebone dress with wide collar, buttoned at the front. Her long hair is held in a bow like a diadem. A large bun organizes the hair on the back of her head. The generous drape of the dress widens from the loins to accommodate the mortise for the bow piece. Her feet rest on a base sculpted with scrolls and foliage. A hole is present, as it should be, at the base of the belly, allowing the figurehead to be attached to the bow by means of a lag screw. Second half of the 18th century, most probably between 1760 and 1780. Size: one meter twenty. Wood very slightly "attacked" by the sea and worms at the base. This figurehead was most likely painted many times over a mastic-type primer, traces of which remain in the grain of the wood and in the smallest hollows. Traces of polychromy remain at the base of the figurehead. It's worth remembering that a figurehead exposed to the sea and its waves was often repainted to protect it, as often as the boat could be. As a result, when the boat was decommissioned and the figurehead disassembled, it was covered in thick layers of paint. So thick, in fact, that all the details of the sculpture had disappeared and the shapes had become considerably smeared. In short, virtually all the remaining real figureheads had to be stripped to make them presentable again. The large figureheads were carved from different pieces of wood. A single large-diameter trunk was therefore insufficient to reproduce the arms, for example. The arms were a very exposed and fragile part, which explains why many figureheads have lost their original arms. Such is the case of the one presented here. In the same family, jealously preserved for at least 70 years. Please note: Prior registration is required to bid on this lot. Note 1) Very rare! To our knowledge, the last beautiful and authentic figurehead sold at public auction dates back 14 years to 2010! Note 2) Figureheads were generally used to illustrate the name of a boat. Figureheads and boats were one and the same. They personalized the boat. The fate of the sailors was in the hands of whoever the figurehead represented. Immovable and unshakeable in all sea conditions and situations, the figurehead reassured and calmed spirits. Superstitious by nature, sailors looked after their figureheads with a certain devotion, hoping to gain their benevolence in return. Atten