CARVED WOOD ANGELIC SHIP’S FIGUREHEAD

The Guardian Angel of Sicily'
Sicily, late 17th century
Wood, iron
93 × 60 × 35 cm

Provenance:
– From the collection of the French artist Françoise Thévenin
– Catherine Deneuve’s villa in southern France

Figureheads are decorations carved from wood which are usually found at the bow of sailing ships. They were predominantly used between the 16th and 20th centuries in Europe and the Americas.

This beautiful angelic figurehead from Sicily shows a female figure from the waist up with a marvellous original patina and no visible restorations. It was probably mounted on a small ship belonging to a nobleman or aristocrat.