Guest seeking info... history of female form?

[skizzy203]

Can anyone tell me the correct term for the female sculpture on the front of the sailing ship and possibley direct me to some interesting literature on the subject. I am doing some research for a thesis: Sensuality in transportation design.

Thanks for any input you may have.

Scott Wise

[DGreenwood]

It is refered to as a figurehead. There is some info out there on the topic that can be found in books on nautical wood carving. I have some but I'll be damned if I can find them right now. So I am not able to help you with the names or authors. sorry

[artemis]

And they aren't necessarily always female (can't have any gender discrimination). Depends entirely on the name - and whether civilian or government owned. Examples that come to mind are HMS Warrior, USS Constitution, HMS Ulysses.

[cgorton]

I believe part of the superstition is that when a woman bares her breast to the sea, the ship is protected from storms. Hence, the generous cleavage of most figureheads. (Also probably not hindered by the zeal of the all-male crew.)

[MikeJohns]

Yes that's what I have read too. Some of the older sculptures had very nicely carved naked breasts, in Victorian times I suppose this was moderated a bit. The sight of bare breasts as you say was supposed to quiet the sea.

There was one old ship on the slip I saw in Tasmania that continuosly had a gaggle of young men leaning on the rail overlooking the slipway, I wondered on the keen interest until I saw the figurhead she was naked to the waist including naval and carved as sexually aroused! I never took any darned photos.