Figurehead 1935 - 1942

This anonymous watercolor painting titled "Figurehead" depicts a carved wooden figurehead from a ship, likely from the 18th or 19th century. The figurehead is a woman dressed in a richly colored, multi-layered gown. Her features are stylized and her expression is stoic. This artwork is an example of maritime art, a genre that captures the beauty and danger of life at sea. Figureheads were traditionally carved and painted to represent the ship's name or patron saint, and they often served as good luck charms.