History

Figureheads are carved wooden sculptures which decorate the prow of a sailing ship, and were thought to represent the vessel’s spirit. It was believed that they offered the crew protection from the harsh seas and safeguarded their homeward journey. The figureheads were also used to identify a ship—one of a range of subjects would be chosen, reflecting the name of the ship from mid-18th century onwards.

The figureheads in The Cutty Sark Collection were produced by professional figurehead carvers, who lived and worked by the docks. Hard woods, such as oak or teak, were used and might have been treated with resins to increase the figure’s resistance to water, rot and wear. They were lovingly cared for by the crew, who took great pride in the appearance of their ship and its figurehead. The superstitions of seamen meant that the figurehead held great significance to those on board and they would go to great lengths to protect it.

A range of subjects were chosen for the figureheads of merchant vessels. Very often, they were portraits of individual family members of the ship-owner, or even the owner himself. Alternatively he may have chosen a figure from history or an influential individual from contemporary society.
 
Figureheads were often female but not exclusively so. A female may have been popular as the ship itself is always referred to as a ‘she’, and since women were often not allowed on board, the figurehead itself might represent the sole female on the ship.

Cutty Sark's collection of figureheads showcases some of the finest examples of this unique maritime art.

Figureheads died out with the arrival of steamships and the disappearance of the bowsprit.