This wood carving shows the face of a Green Man, whose features appear intertwined with foliage. The Green Man is found in very many cultures around the world and is often an embodiment of local gods associated with plant life. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of growth being reborn anew each spring. Much pagan symbolism was absorbed into Christian tradition, and the Green Man is frequently found as a decorative motif in church architecture in Britain. In the later 19th century, during the Gothic Revival and the Arts and Crafts movement, the motif enjoyed a revival in both religious and secular buildings.

The carver, James Erskine Knox (c.1842-1917) was born in Lambeth, London, the son of James Knox (born c.1804, London), a turner. He was apprenticed to Thomas Earp as a wood carver and then worked for him for some years. Later in his career, Knox became an assistant to John Francis Bentley, working on the building of Westminster Cathedral.