Figurehead: "Marie-Antoinette" 1935 - 1942

Curator: Look at this arresting watercolor and drawing from the late 1930s, entitled "Figurehead: 'Marie-Antoinette'". It was created by Mildred E. Bent. What's your immediate take? Editor: Well, the title is immediately ironic! This figure, despite her apparent finery, looks ravaged—as if she’s seen better days or been through a storm. The textures of her dress make me feel as though she’s rising up out of water! Curator: That feeling might be more grounded than you think. This rendering captures the image of a ship's figurehead. So her look might reflect more the hardships of travel in general! Bent's rendering of this iconic symbol connects us with both luxury and navigation. It reminds us how potent images can become. A carved wood, three-dimensional, actual figurehead. Editor: Exactly! Her faded colors amplify that "ghost of the sea" impression; I mean, the artist definitely conveys a story of cultural memory here. She is regal, a bit tattered, and still very afloat, somehow! Curator: Absolutely, and it's precisely in that intersection, the tarnish with the "floating", where the psychological weight builds. Note also how this image of aristocracy became an artifact. Ship figureheads have also served, as this rendering indicates, more as objects of affection or charm. It is indeed quite the story this water color transmits. Editor: Right! Like she has literally weathered so many historical moments that, maybe paradoxically, gave the carving that feeling of authenticity and weight. She's no longer merely decorative but symbolic of lived history! I like to believe Marie Antoinette, in whatever dimension she may find herself in now, can somehow appreciate that honor... maybe. Curator: Maybe! It makes me reflect on the artist’s decision to capture it. It seems less like homage, and more of an exploration of survival. Editor: Survival, or a beautiful, complex meditation of how art preserves identity, over time? Indeed fascinating. Curator: Yes, exactly. Fascinating indeed.