Decline of art in the shipping world
Of late, I have been fascinated with nautical figureheads (like the one on the model of the 1790 French frigate Océan, pictured above). These wooden carvings on the prows of early sailing ships did not only serve to identify the vessel. They held a symbolic significance for the crew and were often associated with the spiritual world. Alas, such artistic expressions belong to the distant past. (more…)
