Strange statue

Bob A · 10th May 2017, 10:26 PM

Salome with the head of John the Baptist, perhaps?

I was thinking German, Black Forest area, but not for any articulable reason.

Royston · 10th May 2017, 11:03 PM

I did consider Salome, but almost every image shows her with John's head on a plate.

Rick · 11th May 2017, 03:34 AM

I can't really see whether the woman is holding the head .
Is she?

Royston · 11th May 2017, 08:40 AM

Rick

Her arms disappear into the mans hair so it's not really clear.

The only choices seem to be that either she is holding the head, it is growing out of her back in some alien way or that she is wearing it as an ornament like coleridges Ancient Mariner.

Roy

thinreadline · 12th May 2017, 08:58 AM

it does look like one of those Black Forest lightwood carvings so is it possible that it depicts a German fairy tale or legend ?
Here is a possibility ...
The Rose-Elf by Hans Christian Anderson (Fairy Tales 1839)
A young woman’s lover is stabbed to death, beheaded, and buried, by her wicked and possessive brother. After committing the murder, the brother is described as ‘entering the beautiful, blooming girl’s bedroom as she lies dreaming of her lover, and bending over her, laughing hideously as only a fiend can laugh as he does so’. This could mean he just stands at the foot of her bed and laughs, but it could also represent something a lot more sinister.As the brother was burying the corpse, a dry leaf settled in his hair. A tiny elf, who witnessed the brutal act, hid under this leaf, which then settled on the girl’s bed as her brother ‘bent over her’. The elf climbs into the girl’s ear, tells her of her lover’s murder, and informs her where the body lies. The girl wakes up, broken-hearted, and goes into the woods to dig up her lover’s head. She shakes the earth out of his hair, kisses his cold, dead lips, and carries the severed head home with her.

mariusgmioc · 12th May 2017, 11:45 AM

What about Judith holding the head of Holofernes?!

corrado26 · 12th May 2017, 06:15 PM

I am living in the Black Forest and I can affirm you that this is certainly no work of art of our region. By the way, Hans Christian Anderson was not a German but a Danish and between Danmark and the Black Forest in Southwest Germany there are more than 1000km. I think that the sculpture depicts Judith and the head of Holofernes.
corrado26

kronckew · 16th May 2017, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinreadline

it does look like one of those Black Forest lightwood carvings so is it possible that it depicts a German fairy tale or legend ?
Here is a possibility ...
The Rose-Elf by Hans Christian Anderson (Fairy Tales 1839)...

read it HERE: http://hca.gilead.org.il/elf_rose.html

short version of the ending:
the evil brother gets it in the end, stabbed by the elves of the roses poisoned spears.

HCA was a rather gruesome story teller, hard to think of him as writing for children.

Richard G · 17th May 2017, 01:29 PM

I was thinking along the lines of the front row here.
Regards
Richard

12th May 2017, 08:58 AM	#5
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	it does look like one of those Black Forest lightwood carvings so is it possible that it depicts a German fairy tale or legend ? Here is a possibility ... The Rose-Elf by Hans Christian Anderson (Fairy Tales 1839) A young woman’s lover is stabbed to death, beheaded, and buried, by her wicked and possessive brother. After committing the murder, the brother is described as ‘entering the beautiful, blooming girl’s bedroom as she lies dreaming of her lover, and bending over her, laughing hideously as only a fiend can laugh as he does so’. This could mean he just stands at the foot of her bed and laughs, but it could also represent something a lot more sinister.As the brother was burying the corpse, a dry leaf settled in his hair. A tiny elf, who witnessed the brutal act, hid under this leaf, which then settled on the girl’s bed as her brother ‘bent over her’. The elf climbs into the girl’s ear, tells her of her lover’s murder, and informs her where the body lies. The girl wakes up, broken-hearted, and goes into the woods to dig up her lover’s head. She shakes the earth out of his hair, kisses his cold, dead lips, and carries the severed head home with her. Attached Images Last edited by thinreadline; 12th May 2017 at 09:11 AM.

17th May 2017, 01:29 PM	#9
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 415	I was thinking along the lines of the front row here. Regards Richard Attached Images

10th May 2017, 10:26 PM	#1
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 455	Salome with the head of John the Baptist, perhaps? I was thinking German, Black Forest area, but not for any articulable reason.

10th May 2017, 11:03 PM	#2
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	I did consider Salome, but almost every image shows her with John's head on a plate.

11th May 2017, 03:34 AM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,378	I can't really see whether the woman is holding the head . Is she?

11th May 2017, 08:40 AM	#4
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 443	Rick Her arms disappear into the mans hair so it's not really clear. The only choices seem to be that either she is holding the head, it is growing out of her back in some alien way or that she is wearing it as an ornament like coleridges Ancient Mariner. Roy

12th May 2017, 11:45 AM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,914	What about Judith holding the head of Holofernes?!

12th May 2017, 06:15 PM	#7
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,254	I am living in the Black Forest and I can affirm you that this is certainly no work of art of our region. By the way, Hans Christian Anderson was not a German but a Danish and between Danmark and the Black Forest in Southwest Germany there are more than 1000km. I think that the sculpture depicts Judith and the head of Holofernes. corrado26