Editorial

Traditional wood sculpture specialises in the decoration of buildings and any wooden object. You can have wood sculpture anywhere in your house, a hood, a lintel or doorpost, a chimney, door, support, beam, little block.  I suggest that you could add one of my sculptures to your boat or your home, I can create or reproduce anything you choose.

Here are a few of my wood sculptures, which give an idea of original work and also reproductions and restorations. I take a great deal of pleasure in my work.

I am very impressed with wood and stone sculptures dating from the middleages and the renaissance, I have studied the different schools and the evolution of styles of carving.

My second interest is in the carved decoration found on boats dating from the XVIII century.

I do a lot of research when I work to ensure that the style is authentic to the piece.

 Numerous changes progressively changed the normal ornamental style on the royal fleet, the main style is that of Louis XIV the decoration showing symbols of his kingdom at the same time improving the performance of the warships.

Around 1720 the style advanced quickly from three-dimensional plans, the decoration on the boat was not included on these plans.

In 1774 there was a change and the planners were ordered to make precise drawings of the decoration on the royal ships.

A text of 1786 defines different class of sculpture for each class of building. Before that date ships figureheads were being normalised, the usual image was of a lion holding a crown (money), it was replaced by a coat of arms bearing the royal crest, although this was to be rigorously applied it has to be said that not all the sculptors followed the order.

Apart from restorations this decoration practically disappeared in the middle of the XIX century.

For each piece the time taken depends on :

1/Whether a new piece or a copy, I have to start with an example in terracotta.

2/For a reproduction in wood I spend about 65% of the time I would on an original piece.

3/If I make a mould in plaster or resin I spend about 25-30% of the time.