a maritime diorama by dg shields.
a modern take on the folk art tradition of a maritime shadow box presented within an antique tramp art frame.
signed and dated 89 on the reverse.
overall height ... 170mm x... overall width ... 205mm x ... overall depth ... 65mm
mariners were by tradition quite superstitious. one particular superstition or old belief was it could be bad luck if a sailors shadow reached shore before he did. by carrying his belongings, a metaphorical shadow of himself, enclosded in a box he could insure he touched land before his shadow.
tramp art is a style of woodworking which emerged in America in the latter half of the 19th century. Some of tramp art's defining characteristics include chip or notch carving, the reclamation of cheap or available wood such as that from cigar boxes and shipping crates, the use of simple tools such as penknives, and the layering of materials into geometric shapes through glue or nails
