German Hand-painted Wooden Cutout Couple in Traditional Costumes tabletop boat with a little wear and

with a little wear and paint loss that I think just makes him better

and maybe some a bit of very light surface scratching

plus that kerchief around his neck and those big eyes that seem to be coyly checking out something (or someone

I purchased the piece at an wonderful estate sale that included a number of fine woven textiles as well as an eclectic collection of notable modern and contemporary art and design objects from around the world

super graphic little toy to display like a sculpture on a shelf

German Hand-painted Wooden Cutout Couple in Traditional Costumes tabletop boat with a little wear andI must say I find this unusual old pair of German cutout wooden figures quite compelling, and also problematic, which is I think in large part what makes them compelling. His very particular posture seems a pure embodiment of lustfulness, amplified (and made rather ridiculous to a modern eye) by his traditional lederhosen, while her serious expression complicates the gesture of her raising the skirt corner of her dirndl (in the other direction) making