Figureheads and Ship Carvings - Hardcover

Stammers, Michael

9781591142744: Figureheads and Ship Carvings

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1591142741 ISBN 13: 9781591142744

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 2005

Concise but comprehensive, this history of figureheads and ship carvings covers the period from ancient Egypt to the present, with emphasis on the great period of decoration between the late sixteenth century and the end of the age of sail. The decoration of a ship was often done to signify its importance or demonstrate pride of ownership, but was also added to appease sea gods and scare off enemies, as exemplified by the eyes on Chinese Junks and the ferocious dragons on Viking ships, while the lion figurehead symbolized naval power. Michael Stammers explains that the powerful typographic logos seen on the sides of container ships today attest to a company's struggle for commercial domination. In the book he describes the ship carvers as well as collections of figureheads that can be seen in museums around the world. With its numerous illustrations, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in ships and their decorations.

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Synopsis:

One of a new series of concise reference books intended to appeal to both the specialist and more general markets.. Heavily illustrated and visually appealing. Keenly priced for maximum market penetration This new book is a concise but comprehensive history of figureheads and ship carving from ancient Egypt to the present, but with the emphasis on the great period of decoration which lasted from the late sixteenth century to the end of the age of sail. Since the earliest times there has been an almost universal urge to personify or decorate a ship, often to signify its importance or demonstrate pride of ownership; decoration was also added for the appeasement of sea gods and the scaring of enemies. 'Eyes' on Chinese junks or Viking carvings of terrifying dragons are fine early examples of the latter, but with the development of navies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the projection of power became reflected in the riotous, allegorical baroque carvings which adorned prestige ships. The lion figurehead, for example, became a symbol of naval power.

Later carving, both in Europe and America, reflected more austere classical styles and spread to merchant ships, whose owners took great pride in their vessels. Even today, the powerful typographic logos on the sides of container ships attest to a company's struggle for commercial domination. There are chapters on the ship carvers themselves and their special skills and training, while the present-day collections of figureheads in museums around the world are described. With numerous illustrations, both line and photographic, this new work will appeal to ship modellers and all those with an interest in the age of sail, as well as to all those visitors to museums who admire the colourful and characterful figureheads, now sadly dissociated from the ships they once adorned.

About the Author:

Michael Stammers, for many years Keeper of Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool, has written extensively on all aspects of the merchant marine.

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