Provincial Headrest

So as not to muss her intricate hairstyle, an upper-class woman once laid her head on this walnut headrest. Deviating from more finished varieties, this 19th-century headrest has a sculptural, almost freeform shape. Perhaps emulating the twisted look of the tree roots prized by scholars, the headrest was carved with an asymmetrical tripod base. Rustic and expressive, the headrest makes an intriguing display on a bookcase, desk or side table.