Iron Indian Head

Charles Moss

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a carved decorative figurehead. The painting depicts a sculpted bust of an individual adorned with an intricately detailed headdress featuring vibrant feathers in hues of orange, purple, and blue. The sculpture is mounted on a stylized, scroll-like green pedestal. The face of the figure is solemn, with distinct features, and the headdress includes ear coverings and a central forehead ornament. This is in style of a classic decorative art often used in ship figureheads or architectural embellishments. The artist has applied meticulous attention to detail, particularly in the textures of the feathers and the sculpted design of the pedestal.