Description
A carved angel with dark hair and outspread feathered wings holds a long shield against its body. Its face retains strongly painted eyes and eyebrows, with traces of red lips. The robe is predominantly red with pale grey patches and a broad, pale collar. Both hands grasp the shield’s lower sides. The shield bears a broad red diagonal cross, or saltire, with dark edging, on a pale background patterned with black ermine markings.
Heraldry
Blazon: Ermine, a saltire Gules.
In plain English: A white or silver field scattered with black ermine spots, bearing a broad red diagonal cross. The principal design is clearly legible despite surface wear.
Identification: RCHME: Ermine, a saltire gules Fitz-Gerald?; Buckeridge: FITZGERALD.
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Condition
The shield’s design remains recognisable, but extensive paint loss exposes wood in its upper centre, across the crossing of the saltire and throughout much of the lower portion. Cracks and abrasion affect the robe, hands and shield edges. The wings have numerous splits and chipped feather tips, with particularly conspicuous damage on the viewer’s left. Small holes and visible fixings occur in the wings and body, including a prominent dark recess in the chest. The face retains much of its paint but shows scattered wear and damage beside the cheek on the viewer’s right.