Wooden doll
Category
Dolls
Date
circa 1900
Materials
Wooden doll
Measurements
695 mm (height)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 659642
Summary
A male doll (artist's lay figure) made entirely from a dark coloured wood, with moveable ball-jointed limbs and without clothes. The doll is possibly an artists model. He has delicate carved features, with a pointed chin, but no hair. The head is carved from a separate piece of wood, but is set in a fixed position into the neck. The torso has realistic carved details, showing pectoral muscles and ribs. At the waist is a large ball and socket joint to which the hips are attached, allowing the doll to bend at the waist. The legs are also carved so that they define thigh and calf muscles. The legs are attached at the hips with 2 large ball and socket joints and at the knees with 2 small ball and socket joints. The feet are also jointed in the same way, although the toes of the right foot are broken off. The left foot is more severly damaged with the joint partially broken and only a small piece of the foot is remaining. The left arm is jointed with a ball and socket joints at the shoulder, elbows and wrist. The hand is delicately carved in a realistic manner, although the first and second fingers are broken off. The right from the elbow down is missing leaving only half of the ball and socket joint showing. On the back of the doll can be seen protruding dowling pegs, presumably to hold the joints in place.