Our national ship, the.frigate Consri ru rion, was originally fitted with afigurehead quite different.from the billet and trailboards currently on the vessel. She had afall-length figure of Hercules, and we have good documentation on what this figure looked like. The figurehead designer William Rush wrote: ''.As the Constitution ofthe Empire is the result of the Union of the States and united begetts Strength it aught to be represented by an Herculean figure standing on the firm rock ofIndependence resting one hand on theJasces, which was bound by the Genius ofAmerica and the other handpresenting a scroll ofpaper, supposed to be the constitution ofAmerica with proper appendages, the foundation of Legislation. "An eyewitness description and a watercolor, possibly by Corne, confirm the figure's design. Drawings ofships of the period always had lines laid out on the stem which placed limits on the size and shape ofthefigure. The carving was not supposed to exceed this "space for the figure, "with exceptions for appendages such as extended arms, spears, and so forth. My figurehead is based on a tracing of the draught of the stem of the ship and two contemporary drawings ofHercules figures. The pose makes use ofbasic contraposto, with the leftfoot advanced and the right arm extended, a classicpose thatfollows the watercolor. The drapery and hanging ofthe flayed lion skin is based on descriptions andsculpture.from antiquity, as well as the watercolor. The figure is roughly to a scale of 'h "= I ; and is around 5 'h "high, exclusive ofplinth and base. It is carved.from boxwood and has a polished wax finish. The plinth ofBlack walnut is cut to the profile ofthe stem ofthe ship.
This is a group of miniature carvings based on old figureheads. The original Tecumseh, .from USS Delaware, and a casting ofit are on display at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis. The midshipmen, who pitch pennies to him for good luck before exams, know him as the "god of 2.5, "the minimum passing grade average. The clipper G lory of th e Seas had a figure ofa Greek goddess that has been described as the swan song ofthe carver's art. Certainly she is a most attractive figure, and a great challenge to carve. The largest figure is inspired by one with especially well-designed drapery. Each figure brings its own particular challenges. The human face is the most difficult element to replicate, and a sound grounding in the foundation courses ofan art school is very help.fa! indeed.
SEA HISTORY 104, SPRING/SUMMER 2003
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