Green Man (English Jacobean Period Circa 1603)

Artist: English School, Jacobean period circa 1603 or earlier.
Title: Foliate Mask of the Green Man
Medium: Carved Mahogany.
Size: Height 15 cm x Width 10 cm x Depth 3.8 cm.
Condition: Good Condition, some losses, strong aged patina.
Provenance: Private Collection, London UK.
Private Collection, Sydney, Australia.

About: A Carved mahogany foliate mask of the Green Man, dating to the early Jacobean period or the late Elizabethan era. This well-carved example has a rich patina and sublime tactile quality.

The Green Man, a pre-Christian Pagan God, is defined by a face made of, or surrounded by foliage. The Green Man is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring and is often adopted as a motif in art and architecture.

Within art history, the representations of Green Man are often referred to as foliate heads or foliate masks, representations of the Green Man take many forms, but most just show a "mask" or frontal depiction of a face, which in architecture is usually in relief.

The representation and the mythology of the Green Man is found in many cultures and ages around the world. Viewed as a vegetation deity who was worshipped in the hope of good harvests, and guards the metaphysical gate between the material and immaterial worlds. To this day, the Green Man is also commonly associated with nature-based religions such as Wicca, Druidry, and other pagan traditions.