Head of a man
J. Spence (fl. c. 1960-1970)
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
c. 1962 - 1975
Materials
Wood
Measurements
596 x 140 mm; 186 mm (L)
Place of origin
Martha Brae, Falmouth, Jamaica
Order this imageCollection
The Argory, County Armagh
NT 565209
Summary
Sculpture, wood (mahogany?); Head of a Man; J. Spence; c. 1962-72. A wooden head of a man, depicted with an elongated neck.
Full description
A carved head of a man, facing straight ahead, his eyes closed, and a quiet smile on his lips. A strongly elongated neck opens out into the base, on the underside of which is incised the name and address of the sculptor, J. Spence of Martha Brae, Jamaica. Nothing is currently known about the sculptor J. Spence, and no other works by him have been identified. Although conceptually it is similar to the head of a man by David Miller junior, also at the Argory (NT 565218), Spence’s head was probably made more consciously as an item for the tourist trade in Jamaica. The settlement of Martha Brae near the town of Falmouth, on Jamaica’s north coast, has long been a popular centre for river rafting along the river of the same name. Generations of the Spence family have worked in the local tourist trade, for example as raft ‘Captains’. Spence’s head nevertheless shares some of the timeless, meditative qualities that distinguish David Miller junior’s work. Jeremy Warren June 2022
Provenance
Acquired in Jamaica by Walter McGeough Bond (1907-86); given to the National Trust in 1979.
Marks and inscriptions
Underside of base:: CARVED BY: J. SPENCE MARTHA BRAE FALMOUTH P.O. JA. W.I. In box, on underside:: MH
Makers and roles
J. Spence (fl. c. 1960-1970), sculptor