Figurehead

c. 1938

Elizabeth Moutal

Associated Names
Elizabeth Moutal

Artist, American, 1909 - 2000

The sculpture is a bust of a man with distinct facial features, curly hair, and sideburns. He is dressed in a formal outfit typical of the 19th century, featuring a high-collared shirt, a cravat, and a double-breasted coat. The sculpture appears to be made from a material that mimics a carved wood appearance, with a warm brown color that highlights the fine details of the clothing and the figure's facial expression. The wooden texture shows various grain patterns across the sculpture. The bust is rendered in a realistic style, proportionate to a human size, focusing on the upper torso and head.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    watercolor and graphite on paperboard

  • Credit Line

    Index of American Design

  • Dimensions

    overall: 48.9 x 36.1 cm (19 1/4 x 14 3/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.8.17172


Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

2002

  • Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2002-2003, no. 13, as Figurehead: "Commodore Perry".

Bibliography

1970

  • Hornung, Clarence P., Treasury of American Design. New York, 1970: 24.

2002

  • Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2002-2003: no. 13.

Wikidata ID

Q64558835

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