Figurehead

James Vail

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts the bust of a figure wearing an elaborate headdress with a prominent feather. The subject has long, dark hair flowing down past the shoulders, and finely detailed facial features. The skin tone of the sculpture is a red-brown hue. The clothing of the figure is intricately depicted, with visible layers in shades of red and green, combined with intricate carving design underneath. The material appears to be painted wood, given the carved texture and the glossy finish seen in the visual representation.